Curse of the Black Pearl and the Keeper of the Treasure
by JennyTD512
Summary: POTC fanfic with OC. Maria Cortez and Will Turner met when they were ten aboard a ship that was attacked by pirates. Eight years later they have to deal with the repercussions of that event and their family's secrets. Mostly follows POTC storyline with a twist. Because I am not an Elizabeth fan.
1. Prologue: Meeting Maria

The Curse of the Black Pearl and the Keeper of the Treasure

Prologue:

Ten-year-old, Maria Cortez reached the docks in the town of New Orleans. It was just before dawn. The air was quiet. She clutched her bag close to her chest and waited for the ship that would take her to Port Royal arrived. Judging from the light in the sky it would be another hour. Maria hoped that this plan would work.

Three weeks ago, her abuela – her grandmother – the only surviving relative she had on this earth died from fever in their native Mexico. The Mexican government was threatening to put Maria in a convent. She refused that idea so she decided to run away. She wanted to get far away. She gathered all her belongings and a few coins. She stowed away on a cargo ship to New Orleans from Galvez. From New Orleans she bought a passage to Port Royal on a ship coming from England.

And now here she was waiting. She looked all around her hoping that she wasn't being followed by anyone. Not that she could think of anyone who would want to follow her. But her family's secret always made her fear someone might be after her. And as the last surviving member of her family, she feared that the day would come when she'd have to face her family's secret.

The ship arrived as scheduled. The captain informed Maria that she would be sharing a cabin with another child passenger, Will Turner. The captain explained to Maria that they were the only children on this ship without family.

Maria entered her cabin, nervous about meeting a new person. When she opened the door, she saw a boy sitting on a cot. He looked up surprised to see her.

"I...am...Maria," she stuttered in her faltered English.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Will. Will Turner."

He smiled and held out his hand. He was a cute boy, Maria thought to herself.

"El capitan say I am to...sleep here...You and I...no family...only children on boat."

Will frowned. No family.

"Well. At least now we have each other!" Will said with a smile. He took her bag and set it down on the other bed.

And a gentleman too, she thought to herself.

"Uh..why you go to Port Royal?" Maria shyly asked.

Will sighed. He sat down on the bed and put his head in his hands. "My mother was sick for a long time. She died a few months ago. My father once told me to look for him in Port Royal, so."

It took a little longer for her to comprehend due to the language barrier, but she understood.

"Lo siento...very sorry, Will."

"Thank you. Why are you headed to Port Royal?"

Maria's eyes grew wide. She didn't want to answer his question. But he had opened up to her a little, she felt she needed to do the same. She didn't know why she was so easily trusting of him.

"Mi abuela just died. She only family I have. Government...put me in convent. So I run away."

Will laughed.

"You don't belong in a convent."

She shook her head in agreement.

"Where did you learn English?"

"Mi madre. She died as well. Don't know much English."

"Well since we will be roommates, why don't I try to teach you a little more English?"

She smiled and nodded profusely.

Two days into their journey, Will was making excellent progress with Maria's English skills.

"My name is Maria Cortez. I am from Mexico," she said in heavy accented English. Will was proud. She was improving.

"You're a quick learner, Maria."

Maria's eyes lit up. She understood him!

"Muchas gracias, Will...I mean. Thank you very much, Will."

"Let's take a break for now. You've been studying your English so much you haven't had time to relax. Would you like to go on deck with me and walk around a bit? Get some fresh air?"

It took Maria a little longer than expected to understand him this time. But she was thrilled when Will asked her to go on a walk with him. It was like her very first date. She blushed at the childish notion. She nodded with enthusiasm.

"Great. Let me get my things."

Maria watched him with curiosity as he went to his small trunk and pulled out a shiny trinket. It caught Maria's eye. She gasped and dropped what she was holding.

"What? What's wrong?" Will asked.

Maria's eyes never left the shiny trinket.

"That...that...that...where...from?" Maria stuttered in shock.

He looked at the trinket in his hand. "Oh this? My father sent it to me. It's a medallion."

She shook her head and mumbled to herself.

"Aztecs...Senor Cortez..." She mumbled to herself.

"Maria, what are you talking about?"

"It's following me."

"What is?"

"The curse!"

"What curse?"

"My family's curse! The one the Aztec's put on the treasure! I am a descendent of Cortez himself! He slaughtered the Aztecs for their treasures and their land in Mexico! They cursed the treasure so that anyone who spent the gold would be cursed forever! Only my family did not spend the gold. We hid it and locked it safe. But pirates found it. Pirates spent the gold! And my family's curse will not be lifted until each and every piece is returned to its chest!"

"How are you cursed, though?"

"Any descendent of Cortez has the responsibility to ensure that the treasure is intact. If it is not complete by the end of their life, it is passed down and so on and so forth. I am the last of my family. It is my responsibility to see that the treasure is intact. I'm its keeper."

"But if pirates stole the gold how do you know if it intact?"

"I don't. That is why the curse has gotten worse. Over the years my family has died very young. My grandmother...not even fifty years...My mother died in childbirth. My father drank himself to death after that. I am all alone in this world."

"No you are not."

"Que?"

"Now you have me. We'll get through this together. When we're older, we'll find out where this treasure is and make sure that all the coins are in their place."

"Oh, Will, you do not have to do this for me."

"But I want to. We only have each other in this world. And I will protect you and your family's secret. You are all I have now.

Maria blushed. She finally had a true friend.

Suddenly they heard shouting from above. Will looked at Maria. He told her to stay put. He lifted up the doorway to the main deck. Everyone was running around in a stir. Then he heard someone say "Pirates!"

Will turned to Maria.

"We are being attacked, Maria! Pirates!"

Maria shuttered thinking of the deadly possibilities. Pirates. She rushed over to Will and tucked his medallion in his shirt.

"If we stay together, we'll be fine."

As their ship was attacked upon, Maria prayed that she and Will would make it out alive.


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N Hey everyone! Thanks for taking the time to read this! I've been carrying this around in my head since the first POTC came out. I'm not much of an Elizabeth fan and I felt that a different character fit the mold better so here is the first chapter that gets the ball rolling from the first POTC. I won't share some parts. It will be mostly from Maria's POV. Thanks!**

Maria's eyes were closed. All she could hear were the sounds of the ocean. She was wet. She had a splitting headache. Her entire body ached. She momentarily forgot where she was. She slowly opened her eyes. It was foggy. The sea was relatively calm. She moved her eyes around, adjusting to her surroundings. She was on a piece of debris from the ship. Will was lying next to her unconscious. Immediately, she sat up and checked his breathing. He was still alive. But cold and he had a bump on his head. It all came flooding back to her.

Will held her hand and they hid below deck until the wreckage was over. They couldn't see anything. They could hear the screams of dying and dead men. They could smell burning flesh and sweat. Will had held her tighter when she trembled with fear. And then the last cannon was fired. She hit her head and that's the last thing she remembered before waking up on a piece of wood. 'Will must have put me here,' she thought to herself. He really did mean they were in this together.

Knowing that Will needed some type of medical attention, Maria looked in all directions for any sign of life, hoping deep down inside that the pirates that had attacked them were long gone. She panicked, thinking that after all that she'd been through – this would be how she died and her family would be eternally cursed. She made the sign of the cross and prayed to the Blessed Mother that help would soon arrive.

In the distance she saw the faint silhouette of a ship. She prayed it was not the pirates coming back for more. As the ship drew nearer, she realized it was a different ship.

"Gracias por Dios!" She exlaimed.

Not knowing if the fog was clouding their vision, Maria began to wave her hands and shout to the oncoming ship. As the ship sailed up next to where she and Will were, she saw a crew on board preparing to drop a long boat into the water. They were wearing red coats. As they pulled them both into the long boat, an officer asked Maria what happened. Her eyes never left Will. She was too frightened to speak about anything. She just wanted Will to be alright.

Once the officers deposited them safely on the ship, the put a blanket over Will to warm him up. Another man wearing a regal looking overcoat came up to her. "Hello, Miss. I am Governor Weatherby Swan. What is your name?" Maria couldn't answer. He looked at her puzzled and then called over to someone named Elizabeth.

"This is my daughter, Elizabeth. She's about your age. She will watch over you and your friend here." He said gesturing to Will.

Elizabeth was very pretty. She wore a clean white dress and her hair was styled to perfection. Maria felt like pond scum standing next to her.

"Hello. What is your name?"

Maria couldn't speak. She just shivered and kept her eyes glued on Will.

"Father says that he will be fine. He just got the wind knocked out of him a bit."

Maria looked at her unsure of what to say. She was shell-shocked.

"First thing is we need to get you both into some dry clothes. I know I have a spare dress you may borrow for the remainder of our journey. You look positively dreadful. It must have been an awful experience..." Elizabeth kept on talking as she went to unbutton Will's shirt.

Maria grew breathless as she gradually revealed the gold medallion. She held it wide-eyed and looked at Maria. Maria gasped, wide-eyed, to exhausted and scared to respond to her questioning look.

Just then, Will awoke with a sudden gasp.

"Maria!"

She put her hand on his shoulder.

"Who is she?" He asked Maria.

"I'm Elizabeth Swan. We rescued you both. What's your name?"

"Will Turner."

"I'm watching over you, Will." She whispered before he passed out again.

She looked to Maria. Wanting to question her about Will's medallion.

"Did he say anything?" A young officer asked Elizabeth.

She quickly spun around with her hands behind her back, to hide the medallion. She informed him that all she knew were their names. Will Turner and Maria. The young officer nodded and walked away.

Elizabeth looked at Maria again, "What does this mean?" she said holding out the medallion, "What happened to you? Are you in danger?"

Maria diverted her gaze and looked out to the sea. Maybe the ocean waves would make her forget what had just happened, forget that Elizabeth was asking too many questions – which sooner or later, Maria would have to answer.

Just then out of the shadowy fog, Maria saw another silhouette. The silhouette of a dark ship with tattered black sails. She gasped. Elizabeth looked in her direction. They both saw it. Maria screamed.

Then her eyes fluttered open.

She was in her warm bed at the governor's mansion in Port Royal. She was not ten years old anymore. She was a teenager who still had nightmares about her cursed past.

**A/N Next chapter will get the story flowing. Idk if you cant tell by my writing but Elizabeth and Maria have a love/hate/sister relationship. The next chapter will be the ceremony. I don't want to stick to the canons of the original storyline too much because that's not fun and interesting. That's why it will mainly be from Maria's point of view. Maybe it will be from Will's point of view, too. Hope you guys like her character! Thanks for reading! JTD**


	3. Chapter 2

Maria was breathing rapidly. A light sweat glistened her forehead. She quickly ignited the lamp next to her bed. The lamp lightly illuminated her room. Her four-poster bed in a nicely sized room, decorated with family memories that she was not a part of. She sat up, attempting to catch her breath. She put her hand over her heart, processing her dream.

'Why now?' she thought.

Why did she dream about that day today of all days.

It was her 18th birthday.

She had lived in Port Royal for eight years now.

Governor Swan took a liking to Maria that day on the ship. He thought she would be a good sisterly companion for Elizabeth. He did not formally adopt her but he did make sure she was properly educated and trained as a young lady befitting of the social stature of a governor's daughter. She and Elizabeth were raised as sisters.

At that thought, she recalled her dream. She knew Elizabeth still had the medallion and kept it hidden in a drawer with a false bottom in her night stand. Without knowing why, Maria felt the sudden urge to hold the medallion - keep it with her. Not with Elizabeth. She crept out of her comfortable bed, put on her robe and left her bedroom. She crept across the hall to Elizabeth's room. She lightly knocked.

"Maria? What is it?" Elizabeth answered.

Maria walked in the room.

"Can I see the medallion that you took from Will that day on the ship?"

Elizabeth looked at her puzzled. She went over to her nightstand and removed the false bottom that hid the medallion. She took it out.

Maria shuttered. Even covered in dust, the medallion still emanated a bad omen for her.

"Why do you want to see it?"

Maria didn't explain. She quickly grabbed the medallion and ran her thumb over the decorated gold. It felt like fire in her hands.

"Maria, are you going to answer me?"

She was so distracted looking at the medallion that she almost didn't hear Elizabeth.

"I'm taking it back."

"Why? I've kept it for all these years, why now?"

Maria couldn't tell her why without jeopardizing her family's secret and Will's.

"It's my eighteenth birthday. This is what I wish as my gift from you."

"Maria, that's not exactly how gift giving works. But if it's what you truly want and as long as you keep it safe..."

"I will guard it with my heart. Nothing will be safer."

Her voice was low and she realized she was talking as if Elizabeth wasn't in the room.

She looked around Elizabeth's room. It was personalized with all of Elizabeth's most prized possessions. It looked lived in. Different from Maria's room - which barely looked occupied. She never felt attached to those expensive things.

Suddenly, Maria realized how this world she was brought up in for the past eight years was not the world she belonged in. She felt unworthy of living in a regal mansion as the adopted child of a widowed British governor.

A knock on Elizabeth's door interrupted her thoughts.

"Who is it?"

"Elizabeth, it's father. Is Maria in there with you? I have her present with me."

Elizabeth opened the door and welcomed her father and two maids. One of them rushed to the windows and drew the curtains. The bright tropical sun radiated into the room. Maria squinted her eyes and was taken aback by the light. She didn't know it was already past dawn.

"There you are, my dear," Governor Swan addressed Maria.

She smiled.

"Happy eighteenth birthday, Maria, darling." He pulled out a large box. Elizabeth's eyes lit up excited to see what her adopted sister was getting.

Maria took the box with gratitude and put in on the chest at the end of Elizabeth's bed. She lifted the top cover and inside was a beautiful cream colored dress - fit for a princess - and a matching hat and parasol.

"Oh, Senor, it is beautiful! Muchas gracias!" Maria exclaimed, truly thankful to have such a generous benefactor.

"You are welcome, dear. Go ahead. Try it on."

Maria took the dress with Elizabeth's and the maids' help and went behind a screen in the corner of Elizabeth's room. They began to dress her.

"I'm told it's the most fashionable for women in London. How do you like it?" Governor Swan asked as the maids pulled the ties to the very tight corset. Although Maria did appreciate his generosity, she could never get used to the uncomfortable corset. Unlike Elizabeth, Maria was built with curves and had more meat on her bones than most English women.

"Las senoritas in London must have learned not to breathe," Maria replied.

Elizabeth laughed. "Father, Maria should wear this to the ceremony today."

"Que?"

"Lieutenant Norrington's ceremony. Commodore Norrington he will become," the governor responded.

Maria rolled her eyes. "Of course."

It was no secret to those in Port Royal that James Norrington fancied Maria. Maria didn't mind innocently flirting with him and seemingly reciprocating his affections but she could tell by the governor's tone that he hoped it would turn into a good match.

"Wouldn't it be wonderful if Norrington proposed, Maria?"

Maria just stared blankly. 'Mrs. Commodore Norrington?,' she thought. She didn't like how it sounded.

"I guess."

"Maria, don't you want to be as in love as I am with Will? Am I right, Father?" Elizabeth asked.

The mention of Will and Elizabeth's love was like a knife to Maria's heart.

Maria had harbored an all-consuming love for Will since she met him. They had shared each other's secrets. He had promised that he would always be there for her. He was her only family now. That is what he had said to her that day the ship was attacked. But instead of courting her as she hoped and assumed, Will had began courting Elizabeth when she was fifteen. It hurt Maria to know that he preferred the governor's daughter to a Mexican orphan he'd promised the world to. Maria resented Elizabeth for that. And she hated Will for breaking a promise that meant a great deal to her.

"You are right, dear." The governor's response brought Maria back to the present.

"Yes, that would be lovely," she faintly responded knowing that she could never love or care about James Norrington the way she already loved and cared for Will.


	4. Chapter 3

**A/N So this chapter is kinda slow and a little boring. I apologize. But it gets the story moving. I'm not as proud of this chapter as others. But Will has been introduced! And I know I promised that the last chapter would include the ceremony but it was too long so I planned on moving it to this one but this one got long too. Obviously it will be in the next! Xoxo JTD**

Maria finished readying herself for the ceremony and promptly left her room. She checked the clock in the hallway. She was ten minutes early for their scheduled departure time. She decided to wait downstairs. As she reached the top of the staircase, she noticed a male figure standing in the foyer, waiting. His sleek brown hair was tied back. He was wearing a brown, polished coat. He looked very much the dapper gentleman – far from the boy she met eight years ago.

She began to walk down the stairs, lightly floating. Upon hearing footsteps, Will turned around and his eyes lit up at the sight of his long time friend. Maria held her head up high and confidently descended the staircase.

"Good day, Senorita Cortez."

"Please. Have we not gotten past formalities after all these years? Call me Maria as you always have."

Will blushed. He looked down before slowly raising his head and looking deep in her eyes.

"Alright, then. Maria."

Her name on his lips sent chills through her spine and a flutter of butterflies in her stomach. No one would ever make her feel this way.

"Do you like my new dress? The governor gave it to me for my birthday."

Will feigned guilt for momentarily forgetting her birthday. "Yes. That's right. Happy birthday, Maria."

Without realizing it, their faces had inched closer together. She could almost feel his break on her face. They looked into each others' eyes – longingly. Maria shyly smiled.

"I had a dream about you and me last night."

He gave her a quizzical look.

"About the day we met. The promises we made to each other." She made sure she looked directly into his eyes. She wanted to see his face when she reminded him. "And I woke up with the strangest feeling."

"About us?"

"About everyone. About the me - "

"Will!"

Maria was interrupted yet again by Elizabeth almost running down the stairs to greet her sweetheart followed by her father. She rushed to his side and hugged him. The look of their embrace made Maria physically sick. 'That should be me,' she thought.

"Master Turner," Governor Swan greeted.

"Governor Swan."

"I trust you did not come empty handed."

"Oh, father!" Elizabeth admonished.

"No, I did not. I come with your request," he said pulling out a long case from behind his back. "Here the sword to be presented at the ceremony today." Maria watched as he demonstrated the excellent quality and the craftsmanship of the sword that he had made. Will had become an excellent blacksmith since they docked at Port Royal. There was no one more proud of him than Maria. She smiled inwardly when he displayed his tricks with the sword.

"I'm sure Commodore Norrington will appreciate it. I trust you will thank your master for me."

Will nodded in gratitude but Maria knew inside he was disappointed. Although he was under the town's blacksmith's tutelage for eight years, Will had surpassed the talents of his supervisor. He was a master blacksmith who never received the credit he deserved. Maria silently scolded her benefactor.

"Will, are you to attend the ceremony?" Elizabeth asked, hope radiated all over her face.

Will shook his head. "No. No. Unfortunately I am to be kept very busy today in the blacksmith. But I would like to take you on a walk later today. Maybe around the fort?"

Elizabeth blushed and turned to her father for permission. He lightly nodded. Maria cringed inside. How could he do this right in front of her? Flaunting his affections for Elizabeth when she's standing right next to him – and on her birthday no less.

"Wonderful. I'll call on you later this afternoon."

"I look forward to it."

"Governor Swan, your carriages have arrived 'round front," a butler interrupted.

"Well, Master Turner, we shall see you soon," Governor Swan said escorting Maria and Elizabeth to the door. Maria felt no emotion whatsoever.

"Oh, Maria. Do you mind riding in your own carriage? The stable has informed me that our large carriage is being repaired."

Maria nodded in agreement.

Governor Swan escorted Elizabeth into their carriage and Elizabeth waved at Will from the window, smiling like a giddy school girl. Maria grimaced. Will noticed.

"Something wrong?"

"It's a curious thing is it not? Making silly promises to one another as children – thinking we were the only ones who would ever care about each other ever again. Orphans. Yet here you are – courting the governor's daughter and not some lowly Mexican orphan girl."

"Maria - "

"No need to apologize, _Mister_ Turner. Buenos dias," she said as a footman assisted her into the carriage. Her eyes never left Will's.

As the carriage drove away, Maria looked as Will stood on the front steps of the mansion longingly watching the carriage ride away. And Maria thought that it was a metaphor for the current status of their relationship. Loving each other from afar as they grow further and further apart.


	5. Chapter 4

**A/N Here's chapter four! I'm not really good at action scenes so I hope this is okay! This one took longer than expected and I left a cliffhanger because the next one will include a confrontation of sorts that will be quite long, I'm expecting. Enjoy! Read and Review :) JTD**

Maria stood next to Elizabeth at the fort as she watched Lieutenant Norrington went through the rituals to become Commodore Norrington. The sweltering Caribbean sun blaring down. She fanned herself, but the heat was unbearable. She couldn't stand these ceremonies. As the adopted daughter of the governor, she was required to go to these events per her new social stature. But like her room, she never felt like she belonged.

-()-()-()-()-

After the ceremony was concluded, a reception followed. The heat was unrelenting. Getting worse by the passing hours. Maria stood under an arch with Elizabeth drinking refreshments and fanning themselves. But even that shade wasn't enough to relieve the stress of the heat. And her ultra tight corset was not making things any easier.

"Did you see Vanessa's dress? She looked positively revolting!" Elizabeth gossiped.

Maria just nodded. Finding it harder and harder to breathe.

"Maria, Elizabeth. Good afternoon."

Maria looked up to see the new Commodore Norrington approaching. Maria's breathing faltered even more.

"Congratulations, Commodore," Elizabeth greeted with her typical smile.

"Commodore," Maria softly said.

"You two look lovely today."

"Well thank you!"

"And Maria, I hear that felicitations are in order for you as well. Happy birthday," he said with a beaming smile.

All Maria could do is smile slightly in return, continuing to fan herself. Norrington did not take his eyes off her.

"If you'll excuse me, I am going to say hello to the admiral and his wife. Good day, Commodore," Elizabeth said walking away, leaving the two of them alone. Maria resented her for that.

"Would you like to take a look at the harbor with me?" he asked, offering his arm.

Maria agreed and he escorted her away from the crowd to part of the fort overlooking the sea. Out of the shade, the heat and the corset gave Maria even more of a struggle to breathe. She continued fanning herself – but no relief came.

"I trust you are having a wonderful birthday?"

She nodded.

"I thank you for coming today. It means so much to me."

"Of course."

"And I must tell you how radiant you look today."

She smiled feigning her distress.

"These past years I trust that my feelings for you have not gone unnoticed. And now that my station in life has increased, there is just one thing missing in my life. Someone to share it with. A fine woman. And I must tell you, Maria. You have become a fine woman."

The impact of his words momentarily stunned her. The heat was getting to her. The corset was closing in on her ribs. He waited for a response but none came. She couldn't breathe. She gasped.

"I can't...I can't breathe," she muttered.

"I know. This news is rather sudden."

"No. No. I can't..." she was never able to finish for she fainted and fell over the stone railing into the ocean.

"Maria!" Norrington shouted.

When Maria hit the water an eerie chill hovered over the Port Royal harbor. The gold medallion that Maria wore around her neck crept out of its hiding place in her bosom. A wave radiated the ocean as Maria sunk deeper and deeper to the ocean floor. A man dove in. He removed her dress that was weighing her down and carried her to the surface. He lifted her up on the dock and was greeted by two naval officers.

"Not breathing!" One shouted.

The man took out a knife from a sheath on his leg and swiftly cut the ties of her corset. Maria's eyes fluttered open and she spit up ocean water in her lungs.

"Never would've thought of that one."

"Clearly you've never been to Singapore," the rescuer said.

Maria was still getting used to her surroundings when she felt her rescuer gently touch the medallion resting on her chest. Something told her that this man knew exactly what it was.

"Where did you get that?" he asked.

Before Maria could answer, Elizabeth, the governor and Norrington along with a few officers arrived on the dock to come to Maria's aid.

"Maria! Oh dear, are you alright?" Elizabeth asked.

Governor Swan took off his coat and covered a shivering Maria. But she wasn't shivering because she was cold and wet.

Norrington looked at the man who rescued Maria. He put out his hand.

"I believe thanks are in order."

The man put out his hand. Norrington shook it and took it hard in his grasp. He rolled up the man's sleeve revealing a branded "P" in his skin. "Ah. Pirate." He rolled up further, revealing a tattoo of a sparrow on the sea. Maria shuttered.

Jack Sparrow, the infamous pirate.

"Jack Sparrow," Norrington stated.

"Captain. Captain Jack Sparrow."

Norrington ordered officers to put shackles on him. Two officers handed Norrington Jack's personal effects. As Norrington examined them – not impressed by his paltry belongings – Maria didn't take her eyes off her pirate rescuer. There was an aura about him. It reminded her of her dream the night before. Could Jack Sparrow have something to do with her premonition? 'He did seem to know about the medallion,' she thought. She needed answers from him. And if he was in jail there was no possible way she could get answers from him.

"Commodore, I really must protest!" Maria said, stepping forward, shedding the governor's coat.

"Maria!" the governor and Elizabeth said in unison.

"Do you really intend to arrest my rescuer? He did save my life!" Maria shouted.

Norrington looked at the pirate. Then he looked at Maria.

"Maria - " he couldn't finish for the officers guarding Sparrow had left his side. Sparrow and grabbed a pistol from one of them and wrapped his shackled hands around Maria.

"Finally." Sparrow said, pointing the pistol to Maria's head.


	6. Chapter 5

**A/N 2 reviews? 2 favorites? 1 follow? Ah that is a good motivator! Thanks for the interest! Here is the next chapter! I'm not a good action writer. Let me know how this turns out for you! :) Oh and I tried to convey Maria's mood as confusing and emotional. I hope that came across. Thanks!Read and review!**

Maria stood still, scared out of her mind, trapped by a shackled pirate.

"Commodore Norrington my effects please," Jack demands, using Maria as a shield.

The officers draw their own weapons and points directly at the pirate. Norrington hesitates giving in. But Jack is not that patient.

"Commodore!" Jack shouts.

Norrington retrieves Jack's belt, hat and pistol from one of his officers. Then he holds them out to Jack.

"Maria. It is Maria isn't it?" Jack requests.

"Senorita Cortez!" She corrects him.

"Senorita Cortez, if you'd be so kind."

She grabs Jack's things from Norrington and Jack jerks her around. Now she was face to face with her pirate rescuer.

"Now, if you'd be very kind." He asked.

She held her head up high and complied with his request. She put on his belt and fastened his pistol in its holster. She positioned his hat atop his head. She looked him straight in the eye, standing firm.

"You're despicable," she challenges.

"I saved your life, you saved mine. We're square."

He jerks her back around, backing up against a stone archway a part of the fort.

"Gentlemen, ladies. This is the day you will always remember as the day that you almost caught Captain Jack Sparrow."

He pushed Maria into Norrington and the other officers. Now that he'd distracted them, Jack reached for a rope and pulled. It pulled him up and sent a canon down, crashing into the dock, blocking the officers from getting to him. Jack had escaped. Norrington and his men continued firing at him, but to no avail.

"After him!" Norrington ordered and the redcoats were gone after Jack Sparrow.

Norrington, along with Elizabeth and Governor Swan stood with a distraught Maria.

"Maria, are you alright?" Elizabeth asked.

Maria nodded.

"Let's get you back home and cleaned up," Governor Swan suggested, putting his arms around her.

She jerked away from him.

"Maria - " Elizabeth started.

"Commodore Norrington, would you be so kind as to escort Maria back to our home?" Governor Swan requested.

But before Norrington could respond, Maria answered, "Do not bother. I wish to be alone."

She stomps off. Norrington is visibly upset by Maria's disinclination to be alone with him.

Maria could have cared less. It was partly Norrington's fault that she had gotten into this mess in the first place. Maria left the docks and walked through town on her way to the mansion. She was soaking wet. She looked haggard, unlike what the townspeople were used to seeing in the adopted daughter of Governor Swan. But that was the last thing she cared about.

After today's events, her dream, the pirate recognizing her medallion, she wasn't sure she wanted to be that girl anymore. She wasn't even sure she belonged in this world anymore. Looking down at her appearance, she was just as comfortable and happy wearing baggy, loose clothes as she was wearing fancy gowns and pearls. She liked the feeling of her hair free-flowing and natural rather than pinned up out of her face. She liked just being herself.

"Maria!" she heard an all-to-familiar voice call for her.

She turned around to see Will standing in the street looking at her with concern.

"Not now, Will," she replied as she continued walking.

Will grabbed her arm.

"No, wait. Maria, what happened to you?"

"I fainted and landed in the water. I was saved by a pirate. End of story. Now if you would excuse me!" she yelled.

"A pirate? Maria, are you alright?"

"Please, do not insult me by pretending that you care about my well-being."

"Are you mad? Of course I care about you, Maria."

"Oh, really? So you care enough about me to elevate your own status by pursuing Elizabeth," she retorted, angry and emotional after the day she'd had.

Will wasn't sure how to respond to that. He just stared at her, dumbfounded.

"Oh and I would be accepting your proposal instead of Commodore Norrington's!" she shouted before storming off. Will stood in place watching her walk away, heartbroken.

She did not bother to look back. She didn't want Will to see the tears in her eyes. She knew that Will would hear the news of Norrington's proposal sooner or later but she didn't want him to hear it in the way she had just delivered it. She knew that she had hurt him with her revelation. She hadn't cried like this since the day of the pirate attack. She couldn't explain all the emotions running through her. She just had a feeling that the events of today were not anywhere close to being finished. There was still more to come and she didn't know where or why.

As she walked up to the gates of the mansion. The guards opened them for her with a pleasant smile on their faces. They wished her a good day. But was it a good day? Too soon to tell.


	7. Chapter 6

**A/N Sorry this is such a long chapter. Please read and review :)**

Maria was reading in bed, but kept getting distracted by her thoughts. Norrington's proposal, her argument with Will, her dream the night before, the medallion around her neck. She touched it just then, feeling a fleeting premonition of danger, when she heard a knock on the door. She crept out of bed to answer the door. It was Elizabeth. She was in her night clothes, holding a candle.

"May I come in?"

"Of course."

"I just stopped by to make sure you were alright after the excitement of today."

Maria chuckled to herself.

"Well, Norrington's proposal was a bit earth shattering but I suppose it was to be expected."

"Norrington's proposal? I was of course referring to your ordeal with Jack Sparrow!"

Of course that was terrifyingly shocking to Elizabeth but Maria only saw it as a mild distraction. With what she had experienced in the past, Maria didn't find her rescue and subsequent mishap with the infamous Sparrow as awful as the thought of answering Norrington's proposal.

"Oh that. Yes. Yes. It was an awful altercation, I suppose."

"The Commodore proposed? I knew he would eventually! Oh, this is so exciting? Does, Father know yet? When should we start planning the wedding? I cannot wait to help you with the wedding!" Elizabeth exclaimed, utterly excited.

Maria looked at her. 'That's how I should be feeling,' Maria thought. She should be ecstatic to be almost engaged to a commodore. But she dreaded the thought of giving him a positive answer. Maria nervously played with the medallion around her neck. Elizabeth noticed.

"You said yes, I'm sure!"

Maria just smiled demurely and looked down at the medallion.

"Well. You look truly exhausted. I shall leave you to rest. See you in the morning, Maria. Good night," Elizabeth awkwardly said as she let herself out of Maria's room.

Maria returned to bed. She was exhausted. But she could not stop thinking. She turned down the candlelight in her lamp. Her room was almost completely black. As she laid her head to her pillow, a cold, eerie chill ran up her back. She felt an impending feeling of impending malice. Maria tried to ignore it. After today all she wanted was to sleep.

She was just getting her mind to relax when she heard a loud scream and the blast of a cannon. Shouting ensued. Broken glass came next. Instinctively, she put her hand to the medallion around her neck. Children crying, guns firing, women screaming. Maria's heart jumped. She leaped out of bed and quickly ran to the window. She looked out over the harbor. A ship with black sails was anchored in the bay. Fire and smoke lit up the town. She looked down and saw a group of pirates with torches ramming at the gate to the mansion. Her eyes grew wide. This was the impending malice.

She jumped at a loud knock at her door. She quickly opened it to find a terrified Elizabeth. Maria and Elizabeth, arm in arm, head down the hallway toward the stairs in a rush. They hear the knocker bang loudly at the front door. The hurry to the stairs to stop their butler from answering. But as soon as they reach the top of the staircase, they see their butler opening the door only to be met with a gunshot point-blank to the chest. The girls scream, drawing attention to themselves. The pirates have seen them.

Maria grabs Elizabeth and pulls her into a linen closet.

"Listen to me, Elizabeth. Hide here. Do not make a sound. And the first chance you get, run to the fort. And do not look back!"

"What about you?"

"Don't worry about me. They are after you. You're the governor's daughter," Maria lied, knowing that they were here for her and the medallion she wore around her neck. She wanted to protect her adopted sister.

Maria left the closet and grabbed a standing candelabra to use as a weapon against the pirates. Two pirates saw her and ran after her. She hit one in the head with the end of the standing candelabra and burned the other with the candles. She ran past them down the stairs. But they miraculously jumped over the railing and into the foyer. Maria was unsure what to do but fate was on her side. A shot rang out and hit the chandelier above the foyer and distracted the pirates. She made a quick dash into the dining room. She tried to grab a sword from a wall hanging but it was stuck in its iron case. She panicked when she heard the door open and hid herself in a supply closet.

She heard their voices.

"You have something of ours, poppet. The gold calls to us."

She held the medallion close to her chest. Going over it with her thumb. She looked at it with what little light crept through the crack in the door frame. This piece of gold had caused her so much anguish for her entire life. It was the reason her family was eternally cursed. Now she would experience the consequences of her conquistador ancestor. Suddenly, the thin light disappeared. She looked up and she saw the yellow, blood-shot eye of a greasy pirate.

"Ello, poppet."

The doors were flew open. The pirates confronted her. She thought quickly.

"Parlay!" she shouted. She'd read in Elizabeth's many pirate books about the right of parlay and used it to delay any harm-doing.

"What?"

"Parlay. I invoke the right to parlay as written in the Code put forth by Morgan and Bartholomew. According to the code, you must take me to your captain," she instructed.

"We know the code!"

"In compliance with the right of parlay, you can do me no harm until you take me to your captain!"

"So you do."

"But the captain - " his one-eyed companion started.

"She wanted to be taken to the captain. And it shall be done without a fuss."

They grabbed her and yanked her along with them. They led her out of the mansion and into the streets of town. The rest of the pirates were still wreaking havoc on the town of Port Royal. She was overwhelmed by the chaos around her, hoping that Elizabeth made it safely to the fort. She knew she wouldn't be able to survive such an ordeal. There was fighting everywhere. The dead, the dying and the injured lay scattered in the streets.

"Maria!" she heard her name.

She looked around nervously and saw Will disheveled and battle-beaten. She looked to him. Her eyes calling to him. But then, he was hit on the head by another pirate, rendered unconscious. That was the last look she saw of him before she was roughly assisted into a longboat. She clutched the medallion, praying that Will was alright. The two pirates that captured her rowed vigorously through the dark, murky water and assisted her up the rope ladder onto the deck of the ship with black sails.

She was met with an even worse sight that the streets of Port Royal. Dirty, greasy, haggard, half-dressed men with various weapons glared at her wantonly, making her sick to her stomach. 'What did I get myself into?' she thought.

She turned to see a large, muscular black man in front of her with evil eyes.

"I wasn't aware we were takin' on captives," he said.

"She invoked parlay with Captain Barbossa," one of her captors said.

"I am here to negotiate terms of -" she was cut off by a slap from the big dark man.

"You will speak with spoken to!"

She looked at the hand that had just hit her. A wrinkled hairy hand grasped the wrist of the big black man.

"And ye shall not harm those protected under parlay," a voice said.

She looked at the man behind the big dark man. He was old, hairy, scarred and greasy. He wore a rather ostentatious hat with a pink feather on the side. He had a Capuchin monkey on his shoulder. It squeaked at her. 'This must be the captain,' she thought.

He releases the dark man's hand smiles at Maria, showing rotting, gold and silver teeth.

"My apologies miss. You were saying?"

"Captain Barbossa, I am here to negotiate cessations of hostilities against Port Royal," she responded trying her best of hide her accent and use the most sophisticated words in her vocabulary. She didn't want them to catch on that she may be Mexican lest they discover she could be a Cortez.

"There be a lot of long words there and we're not but humble pirates. What is it you want?"

"I want you to leave now. And never come back," Maria demanded.

She was disheartened by the laughter of Barbossa and his crew.

"I am disinclined to acquiesce your request."

She was taken aback.

"Means no."

"Very well." She went to plan "B". She walked to the side of the ship and pulled the medallion from her around her neck and held it over the side. A collective gasp swept through the crew.

"If you don't acquiesce my request, I'll drop it!"

Hushed protests were muttered about the ship.

"A mere trinket to us. What would it matter to us?"

Maria challenged them.

"Really? I must disagree. It's what you want. It's what you've been searching for. I saw this ship eight years ago after..." she stopped herself from revealing her secret, "during the crossing from England."

Her statement didn't seem to affect them at all. "So, if it is indeed worthless, I suppose there really is no reason to keep it," she said.

She slightly loosened her grip on the medallion, still holding it in her grasp.

Each crew member stepped forward holding out a hand. She heard Barbossa shout, no.

She looked at him, confident that she had made headway.

"Oh. I see. So it is worth something to you, humble pirates."

"You have a name, miss?" Barbossa asked.

"Maria," she started. She hesitated before giving her last name. If they heard her last name for fear of what would happen. So she spoke the first name she could think of. "Turner. Maria Turner. I'm a maid in the governor's household."

Surprisingly, the name 'Turner' seemed to have a reaction from the crew and Captain Barbossa.

"And how did a lowly maid come across such a fine trinket? Family heirloom, perhaps."

Maria got nervous. 'What did he expect of me?' she thought.

"I...I didn't steal it, if that's what you mean."

He smiled at her satisfactorily.

"Very well. Hand over the medallion and we shall set sail and never return.""

She handed it over, but as soon as she saw the medallion in Captain Barbossa's hand, she regretted it. She knew it would have dangerous repercussions. And she was right. The crew made preparations to sail away, ignoring her. Barbossa walked away, also ignoring Maria.

"Wait, you have to take me to shore. According to the code -"

"First. Your return to shore was not part of our negotiations nor our agreement, and so I 'must' do nothing. Secondly: you must be a pirate for the pirate's code to apply. And you're not. And thirdly...the code is more of guidelines than actual rules."

Maria stared at him in horror. 'What will happen to me now?' she thought, terrified that she'd made a terrible mistake.

"Welcome to the Black Pearl, Miss Turner!" Captain Barbossa said with a menacing laugh as he gave the medallion to the monkey on his shoulder.

Maria realized that she was now a pirate captive.


	8. Chapter 7

**A/N Trying something different with this one. This will probably be the only chapter from Will's point of view. I wanted you guys to see his side of the story for a minute before we get into the curse and stuff! All other chapters will be from Maria's POV. Read and review! Hope you like it!**

Will woke up in the street. He had a mallet in his hand and a splitting headache. He looked around and the bustling townspeople putting their town back together as best they could. He blinked. He remembered the events of last night. The pirate attack. The fighting. And then he remembered Maria. He watched as Maria had been taken by pirates. And he was helpless to do anything. He felt like it was his fault.

After his argument with her yesterday, Will hadn't been able to stop thinking about his current relationship status with Maria. She knew everything about him. He knew everything about her. He cared for her more than anyone in his life – even Elizabeth. And he knew that the promises he made as a young man were true and he hadn't done a good job in keeping them. If he was truly honest with himself, he loved Maria. And it killed him that Norrington had proposed to her and not him.

He knew that he needed Maria. He needed her like he needed food and water. He knew he needed to do something to rescue her, to get her back and to tell her his true feelings. God forbid those animals kill her, he didn't want their last conversation to be that of anger. He stood up and immediately ran to the fort, searching for Commodore Norrington.

He found Norrington and Governor Swan looking over maps with a cartographer. Elizabeth sat at a table watching patiently. Her eyes lit up when Will appeared. He instantly felt guilty for ever leading Maria to believe he could love anyone else. Elizabeth stood up to greet her beau.

"Will. It's so good to see you. Have you heard?" Elizabeth asked putting her hands on his arm.

He ignored her. His main focus was Maria. As it should have always been.

"They've taken her. They've taken Maria!"

Norrington looked up from the map, thoroughly annoyed. "Yes, we are aware, Mister Turner."

Will stepped forward out of Elizabeth's grasp. "And what are you planning to do about it? Look at maps all day? We have to hunt them down and save her!"

Norrington stood up, insulted.

"And where do you supposed we start?" Governor Swan interjected. "If you have any information as to Maria's whereabouts please share them!"

When Will gave no response, the governor ordered him to leave.

"Will, why are you so upset? We will find Maria!" Elizabeth asked, reassuring him.

Will looked at her and once again ignored her. He felt bad, but nothing would get in the way of his ultimate goal.

"That Jack Sparrow talked about the Black Pearl," a soldier mentioned.

"Mentioned it is more what he did," another said.

"We can ask him where it is! Maybe Sparrow can lead us to it!" Will suggested, anxious.

Norrington calmly said no and returned to his map.

"The pirates who invaded this fort left Sparrow locked in his cell. Ergo, he is not their ally, and therefore of no value."

Will rolled his eyes.

"We will determine their most likely course and set sail with the next tide," Norrington continued.

Will slammed his fist on the table, causing the cartographer to lose his pencil.

"That's not good enough," Will shouted, angrier, now. "This is Maria's life, we're talking about! We have to save her!"

Everyone stood silently. Elizabeth was taken aback by Will's adamant behavior. Governor Swan was insulted. But no one was as insulted as Norrington. Will could see that on his face. He was insulted that Will wanted to take more action against Maria's captors than her own "fiance." Will stared him in the eye and made a smug smirk.

"Now is not the time for rash actions, Mister Turner. Now do return to your duties, blacksmith," Norrington shot back with a degrading insult. "Oh and one more thing. Do not make the mistake of thinking you're the only man who cares for Maria."

Will stares at Norrington as a challenge, but he doesn't take the bait. Will turns to leave realizing that he will make no headway with the commodore. He feels a tug on his arm. He turns to see Elizabeth.

Her eyes wide with worry and concern. Her lips pouted. For the past three years he had courted her, thinking that Maria was too good a person for him. He had grown to like and care for Elizabeth a great deal, but he had long denied the fact that Maria was the one who held his heart. He looked at Elizabeth waiting for her to speak. He felt bad for being so short with her but he felt even worse knowing that the time he spent there with Elizabeth was time wasted in finding Maria.

"Will, would you like to go for a walk? Cool your head a bit?" Elizabeth suggested, sweetly so.

Will shook his head. "No, thank you, Elizabeth. I have duties I must attend to."

He walked off leaving Elizabeth disappointed and heartbroken. He had a mission. He stormed out of the fort decided on a proper course of action. Only one person could without a doubt find the Black Pearl. Only one person knew the secrets and weaknesses of the Black Pearl. That person was sitting in a cell in the fort. Will didn't care at what cost, he was going to break Jack Sparrow out of his cell and force him to help find Maria and the Black Pearl.

Will headed back to the fort to the prison. Jack Sparrow was his only hope in getting Maria back safely.


	9. Chapter 8

**A/N: Another follow/favorite? Thanks! Also want to give a shout out to lindam2254 for the reviews and the encouragement! Since Will's POV chapter was so popular I may just do another one. But for now it will be Maria's POV. Until next time! Xoxo JTD**

Maria paced the cabin from end to end, thinking. She had been a captive of the Black Pearl for almost an entire day. They had locked her in an ornate cabin, comfortable enough for a lady of her standing. It was filled with plush dark red satin and dark mahogany furniture. It was a quaint antiquated cabin fit for a fine captain. It had three long windows near the rear and three windows on each side. She wondered what Barbossa's cabin looked like if hers was this nice. She looked at the windows and saw the sun begin to set over the ocean's horizon. Another night she would spend a prisoner of the Black Pearl.

She heard a tap on the door. The two pirates who had took her to the Pearl entered her cabin without an invitation. The yellow-eyed one held a goldenrod gown.

"Tonight, you'll be dining with the captain. And he requests you wear this," he said holding out the gown to her.

"You may tell your captain that I am disinclined to acquiesce his request," she retorted, smugly.

The yellow-eyed pirate smiled. "He'd said you'd say that. He also said that if that be the case then you're to dine with the crew. And you'll be naked!"

Maria instantly felt a nauseated pang deep her in stomach. 'Anything was preferable than that,' she thought.

She yanked the dress from the yellow-eyed pirate, clearly making her decision.

"Fine!" he responded, disappointed, before being shooed out of the cabin.

When she knew the door was closed and locked, she held out the beautiful gown, looking at it. It was an unusual color of yellow. It looked easy enough to put on without the assistance of a maid. She slipped it over her under-dress and easily fastened the ties at the sleeves. She looked at herself in the mirror. It fit her like a glove. It was just her size. It was a color she wasn't used to wearing. It was very ostentatious for a governor's daughter. 'But,' she told herself, 'you are not really a governor's daughter.'

She swiped her hands along the shirt of the dress, clearing away any wrinkles and creases. She raised her head up high and waited.

Sometime later, Barbossa entered with a trio of pirates following carrying trays of food and bottles of wine. She stood up awkwardly as the crew members cleared the table in the middle of the cabin. They laid down the trays and platters consisting of mean, greens and bread. They lit candles and set plates an cutlery on the table. Then they left. She was now alone with Captain Barbossa.

"That fits you well," he said, referring to the dress.

"Gracias," she curtly responded, wanting to keep the conversation to a minimum.

He steps to the table and pulls out a chair for her. She hesitantly takes a seat. She daintily places a napkin in her lap as he seats himself in the chair next to her. But he doesn't put his napkin in his lap. He just sits and watches her, intrigued. She ignores him and cuts into a piece of chicken with a knife and fork. She was careful and precise, keeping to the rules of dining etiquette. Barbossa smiled.

"No need to stand on ceremony and no one to impress, here. Surely, you are starved."

She looked at him and dropped the knife and fork. She was starving. She hadn't had any food since yesterday's dinner at the mansion. She'd had no breakfast or luncheon. She grabbed the chicken leg and buried her face in it. Still holding the chicken, she reached for a piece of bread from the basket and took a bite from each at once, very unladylike. Elizabeth would be horrified. That thought made her smile inside.

Barbossa poured a glass of wine and handed it to her. She took it hungrily and drank of it like a sailor.

"And the apple's next."

She stopped chewing and swallowing and looked from Barbossa to the apple he held in his boney, wrinkled hand.

"You poisoned it."

"There'll be no sense in killing ye, Miss Turner...yet."

She looked at him quizzically. She watched as his pet monkey sat himself on Barbossa's shoulder, the medallion in his tiny hands. Barbossa took it from him.

"Do you know what this is?" he asked.

She feigned ignorance. "It's a pirate medallion."

"Allow me to educate you, then, Miss Turner."

He got up from the table and walked toward a wooden wardrobe on the other side of the room. She quickly grabbed her dinner knife and hid it underneath her skirts. He continued.

"This, my deary, is a gold piece from the treasure of the Isla del Muerta.

"Back when Cortez swathed the New World he was given all the gold in exchange for sparing the lives of the Aztecs. Of course, Cortez being the man he was, was disinclined to keep his promises."

Maria shivered. She knew all too well the story that plagued her family because of the Conquistador. Barbossa took a key out of his pocket and unlocked the wardrobe. He pulled out a codex and put it on the table.

"There was a high priest you see, and in his last dying breath, he called for the blood to be repaid. He put a curse on the gold and he who spends it. Cortez did not believe the curse, at first. That is until one of his crewman died without explanation. With fear of what would happen next, Cortez thought it best to hide the cursed treasure in an island. But the curse spread to the island, causing malice to all who enter and take the treasure. The Island of Death, he called it."

"La Isla del Muerta," she corrected in Spanish, her accent as thick as the day she met Will.

He looked at her with a raised brow. She challenged him with a stare.

"Aye. The Isla del Muerta. He thought that would keep him safe from any curse but he was wrong. For whoever found the treasure, not only brought the curse upon himself, but kept it alive in Cortez, even after his death.

"You and your men?"

"Aye. Me and me crew. We spent every last piece without a care in the world. That is until we saw the effects of the curse upon us.

"And the only way for the curse to be lifted is for every piece of treasure to be returned to the chest and the blood be repaid."

He looked her over. She mentally vomited, disgusted.

"And now that we've found the final piece we need one more thing, deary," Barbossa whispered, walking closer to her.

"The blood to be repaid."

"Aye." He pulled the apple from the table and took a bite. Then he gestured it to her. "Apple?"

She stood up in a rush, pulling the knife from under its hiding place. Then she stabbed him directly in the chest. He rolled his eyes. He made no indication that he was hurt by a knife in his chest. He put his hands on her, gripping her shoulders tightly. She winced.

"I'm curious, after killing me, what is it you plan on doing next?"

She grunted and pushed past him opening the doors of the cabin. She was outside in the pale moonlight. She saw Barbossa's crew, on the wheel, scrubbing the deck, tightening the masts. Only they didn't look like the crew she had seen yesterday. They were skeletal forms of themselves. Their bones and insides exposed with tattered clothing and rotting pieces of flesh. Her mouth opened in shock, unsure of what on earth to say. This curse was getting worse and worse. Her family had not prepared her for half-dead pirates!

She turned around to face Barbossa again. He's slowly walking outside toward her.

"The moonlight shows who we really are. We are not among the living so we cannot die nor or we among the dead. We have all the desires of the living, yet cannot fulfill them. Ten years I've been being parched of thirst and haven't been able to quench it. Ten years I've hungered for death but haven't died. I haven't felt anything in years, not the wind in my face, nor the spray of the sea..."

He reaches his hand toward Maria so it is exposed in the moonlight. The skeletal hand reached out to her face, she backed away.

"...nor the flesh of a woman."

Her breathing grew heavy. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end.

"Best start believing in ghost stories now, Miss Turner. You're in one!" He shouted.

She backed up in fear, bumping into a group of pirates. From there she was jostled around the main deck being groped by one group of the crew after another. Her body was touched her hair was pulled. Fear seared through her entire being. As soon as she could gain control of the situation, she bypassed a heckling Captain Barbossa and his howling monkey and ducked back into the cabin.

She slid the table in front of the doors and doused the candles. She ran to the furthest corner of the cabin, behind an old velvet chair. She stayed there, catching her breath, gathering her wits. Her chest heaved.

This was the curse that the Conquistador had passed down to her. She made a mental note to cease the curse no matter what cost.


	10. Chapter 9

**A/N I wasn't planning on putting this in here but I wanted to try another Will POV. Here it is! Sorry it's so short! Probably going to continue with Maria's POV. Xoxo JTD**

Will tightens a line on the Interceptor, staring out at the open sea. He turned around and saw Jack at the wheel, pensive. He was amazed by this man, the infamous pirate. After Will had introduced himself and told him of his predicament, Will broke him out of his cell and cleverly helped him commandeer the Interceptor by tricking Norrington and his men to help them get the Interceptor underway.

Will smiled as he walked back to the wheel, standing next to Jack. This man was truly a conundrum. But in all honesty, Will didn't really care how or why Jack was helping him find the Black Pearl. He just wanted to get to Maria before it was too late. He needed her. When he thought about her being held captive by vicious, blood-thirsty pirates, it made him sick inside. He had to find her. And God she'd been hurt or worse raped, he would be right there, by her side. He couldn't lose her. Not now. Not ever.

Will was surprised at himself. He had spent the last eight years trying to be the man his mother always wanted him to be; a respectable, honest, hard-working man. Now here he was on a stolen ship with a famed pirate chasing after a ghost ship in search of the orphaned Mexican girl he'd met aboard a ship. He couldn't believe that after all these years of playing by the rules, he was breaking each and every one of them. And all for the woman he cared for most.

"So, young William, how is it that you are so familiar with the workings of a ship?"

Jack's question brought him back to the present.

"I made my living as a cabin boy to work passage from England. Then when my mother died, I came out here looking for my father. That's where I met Maria."

Jack nodded. At the mention of Will's father, Jack always tensed up. He hadn't been subtle about his recognition of the name William Turner. Will decided to get more answers.

"I'm not simpleton, Jack. It was only after you learned by name that you agreed to help me. You knew my father?

Jack continued steering. Not giving Will any eye contact.

"I knew him. Probably one of the few that knew him as William Turner. Most everyone else just called him 'Bootstrap Bill.' He was a good man. A good pirate. I swear you look just like him"

His father? A pirate? The thought angered and upset him. His mother would have told him that. Although he spent little time with his father as a child, he knew that his father could not have been a criminal, a murderer, a thief, a pirate.

"He was NOT a pirate! He was a merchant marine, a man who obeyed the law, followed the rules!"

Jack took Will's challenge.

"Like it or not, boy, the fact remains that your father was a pirate."

Will's anger grew with each passing millisecond. Without thinking it through, he drew his sword and pointed it directly at Jack, the point barely touching his chin.

"Put it away. There's no sense in fighting and getting beat again."

"On the contrary, you ignored the rules of engagement. In a fair fight, you would not be so lucky."

"Then there is really no incentive for me to fight fairly is there?"

Jack smoothly kicks a lever on a wench. A sail boom whips around and hits Will in the chest. He drops his sword in the impact. The boom sweeps him off the ship, hanging over the water.

"The way I see it you have two choices. You can either accept that your father was a pirate AND a good man or you go on in denial. Now, I can sail this ship to Tortuga all by me self but I could not have your drowning on my conscience now could I?"

Jack swung the boom back on the ship and Will dropped next to him at the wheel.

"Tortuga?" Will asked.

"Tortuga."

Will nodded. How could he have been so rash. How could he have let his curiosity about his father get in the way of his main goal – getting Maria back safely. 'From now on,' Will told himself, 'I mustn't let my temper get in the way of searching for the Black Pearl.'

He and Jack continued their journey to Tortuga to find a crew. Will looked up to the sky. He hoped beyond hopes that he would find her in time.


	11. Chapter 10

**A/N Okay this one includes both Maria's and Will's POV. It makes sense that way! Hope you like it! Enjoy! Xoxo JTD**

It had been two days since Maria's dinner with Captain Barbossa. She had refused to leave the cabin. She was terrified. 'Why?' She asked herself. 'Why is this curse on my shoulders? What does it mean!' She wanted to make it stop. Wanted to make it all go away. But she couldn't figure out how. How did she get herself in this situation? Why did she tell Elizabeth to go to the fort? Maybe if she hadn't, Elizabeth would be in her situation instead.

'No,' she thought. Elizabeth was probably being comforted by Will. Will, her sweetheart. It broke her heart to think that her absence was possibly bringing the two of them closer together. Maybe Will was gone from her forever. Maybe Barbossa should just kill her now, put her out of her misery and stop the curse from descending to another. Maybe she should just jump overboard right now. Then Will wouldn't have to pretend to care and would be free to be with Elizabeth. Then the Black Pearl would have one less obstacle in their way to freedom.

'No,' a voice inside her whispered. She couldn't possibly think of hurting herself. She had a responsibility to her family. She had to rid her family name of this curse and defeat it once and for all. She was not a quitter. When her grandmother died, she did not relinquish control to the Mexican authorities wanting to put her in a convent. When pirates attacked, she fought for her life alongside Will. She was a survivor, a fighter. She would not let this situation destroy her spirit.

Just then, Maria heard a noise at the door. Her two pirate captors entered with a rope.

"Time to go, poppet."

She held out her arms to be tied. With her head held high, she allowed them to escort her to the long boat. They had arrived at the famed Isla del Muerta. She refused to face her responsibility with the fear she had two nights ago. She would face this with dignity. The group rowed into the infamous island of caves in several longboats. Maria looked around at the dark, wet walls of the opening cave. Gold and trinkets glittered the cave floor. They docked the longboats between stones. She was yanked up and lead through another tunnel. It lead to the main cavern.

The sight amazed her. Treasures of all shapes and sizes, styles and colors decorated the empty cave. Clothes, canvases, coins, chests, candelabras, statues, treasures, galore! She was shocked that they had collected so much. As she looked around, a large pile of gold coins held up an old brown chest with Aztec symbols. Her heart skipped a beat.

"Ay, dios mio," she whispered to herself. It was the chest that held the treasure that cursed her family.

Barbossa took her by the arm and pushed her up the pile of gold. He stood on the precipice, overseeing his men going through their various treasures. Maria stood looking out at them. She refused to show her fear.

"Gentlemen!" Barbossa shouted.

His men turned toward their captain in reverence. Barbossa raised his booted foot and pushed the lid of the chest. It fell to the bottom of the hill of gold coins. Seeing the treasure in its entirety sent a shiver through her body. She had finally come face to face with the cursed treasure that had plagued her family.

"Here we stand before the cursed treasure of Cortez himself. Won by blood, it demands blood in return," Barbossa proclaimed followed by resounds of heckling laughter.

Maria kept her eyes moving. She noticed some movement toward the back of the cavern. As Barbossa continued his speech, Maria saw two figures hiding behind a coin-covered boulder. She immediately recognized one as Jack Sparrow. The other she had trouble making out. Then she looked again. She was stunned. Next to Jack Sparrow was Will. Will had come to save her. Will had come to rescue her! He did care for her! While Maria was relieved that Will was here, she was brought back to reality when Barbossa yanked the ties around her wrists off.

He pulls out her hand and forces it open. He pulls out a rusty gold knife. Maria fears for her life, but dares not let him know it. He puts the point of his knife in the center of her palm. She is terrified at the sight of the warm crimson liquid dripping from her hand. Barbossa pulled out the medallion. He pressed the medallion in her blood-soaked palm. He forced her hand into a fist over the medallion. He forced her to drop it into the the ancient chest of Aztec gold. This was it. The end of the curse.

The final piece of gold seemed to slowly fall, causing time to seemingly stand still. She watched as it bounced in the pile of gold. A wave of silence settled over the crew. They waited. For what they did not know. Maria glanced around, nervous and anxious for the lifting to make itself known. But nothing was happening.

"How can we tell?" The yellow-eyed pirate asked, instigating a mass argument among the crew.

She looked to Barbossa. He pulled out his pistol and took a shot at the yellow-eyed pirate. She shuttered. She shut her eyes in hopes that when she was opened them, it would all be a dream. When she opened her eyes, she saw the yellow-eyed pirate still standing, alive with a bullet hole in his chest.

"You shot me!"

"And you're not dead!" Another pirate shouted.

Barbossa was puzzled. He turned to Maria and grabbed her shoulders.

"You, maid. Who was your father?"

When she didn't answer he shook her.

"Was your father William Turner?" he pleaded.

"No," she obstinately answered.

"What is your name?" he shouted.

She looked him square in the eye, staring him down. "Maria Cortez."

His eyes lit up at the sound of her last name. He raised his hand to her and slapped her clear across the face. The force of the blow caused her to roll down the backside of the coin hill. She landed in a creek bed. And before she knew what was happening, everything went dark.

* * *

><p><p>

Will watched in horror as Barbossa took a knife to Maria's hand. Instinctively, he made a move to stop it. He mistakenly touched a pile of coins, making a noise. Jack grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back.

"We must wait for the opportune moment."

"And by then, Maria could be dead." Will responded.

Jack just put a finger to his lips, silencing him.

Will rolled his eyes. It literally broke his heart that Maria was right there in front of him, being held against her will, being injured and he could not do a thing to stop it. He watched Maria cringe with pain as Barbossa squeezed the medallion in her hand. When nothing spectacular happened, he watched as Barbossa violently shook her and then slapped her right across the face. She fell and he could no longer see her.

He grew more and more anxious. 'I can't just sit here!' he thought.

Maria could have a head injury, a broken neck. He needed to get to her, ascertain her safety. He needed to save her now. He plotted possible plans in his head as the pirates continued to argue in the main cavern. Quickly, before they finished and went to retrieve her body, he came up with a plan of rescue. He picked up an oar and sneaked up behind Jack. Jack must have heard him because he turned around only to meet the oar full force. Will looked down to make sure Jack was knocked out cold before he carried through with the rest of his plan.

He had to act fast. Maria's life depended on him. Like he had always promised.


	12. Chapter 11

In the distance she heard the echoed voices of Barbossa and his crew. They were arguing. Her head was spinning. The cold floor of the cave felt good. She struggled to gain the strength to open her eyes. She could feel the sting of Barbossa's strike on her cheek, but she made no move to touch it.

She felt a callused, rough hand cover her mouth. She opened her eyes and was about to scream. Her eyes met with Will's. He was wading in the shallow creek, gesturing her silence. He pointed his finger to his right and motioned for her to follow him. 'Finally,' she thought, 'I'm getting out of this hell hole.' But one thing was holding her back. The medallion.

She suddenly felt naked without it. She turned around and saw it lying in a pile of gravel and gold mush. She snatched it for insurance and crept in the creek with Will. He led through the water to a clearing where the boats were docked.

"How did you find me?" she asked.

"You have Jack Sparrow to thank for that. He knew exactly where the Pearl would be."

"Jack Sparrow? So that was him I saw!"

Will nodded and assisted her into a long boat.

"Wait! They could follow us! We have to make sure they can't get to us that quickly."

"What do you suggest we do?"

She thought quickly. The oars!

"Let's take all the oars and toss them overboard when we get out of the cave."

Will smiled.

"Innovative. Alright, let's hurry. They could very well be right behind us."

Maria glanced behind her to make sure they weren't.

Once they gathered all the oars and settled themselves in a longboat, Will began rowing fast, wanting to get as far away from the Isla del Muerta as possible. Maria watched his arms move back and forth, moving the oars. His look had drastically changed since she had seen him last. His clean white shirt was now dirtied up and opened to his waist. His sleeves were loose and he wore no overcoat like usual. His hair was wet and greasy. Instead of being tightly pulled back in a nice neat queue, it was tied with a dirty rag and loose. A day's stubble had began to grow on his chin. She quite liked him looking like this. Like the boy she met ten years ago. She softly giggled.

"What's so funny?"

She shook her head and laughed.

"Nothing. Just. Thank you, Will."

He smiled.

"You're welcome. I always keep my promises."

She looked at him knowing exactly what he meant. He'd promised to protect her forever. And he was doing just that. He winked at her and continued rowing in silence.

Once they reached the Interceptor, the crew from Tortuga helped them aboard and asked for their captain. Will explained he fell behind. The others just glared at Maria as if she were a pariah, the unknown that they feared. Will ushered her below to clean herself up. Once below Will busied himself finding warm blankets and bandages for her. Maria liked watching him worry over her like this. She had been so wrong earlier, thinking that he would be with Elizabeth.

"So tell me," he began putting a blanket around her shoulders, "what happened?"

Maria sighed and repeated the events of her capture from Port Royal.

"Then he told me about the curse. Will, they are will always be there! They cannot die until the curse is broken!"

"You said you used my name for yours? Why?"

"I don't know. I was afraid that if they knew my name was Cortez they would kill me. I always assumed that I was the only one that could break the curse. I am the last keeper of the treasure, and all…" her voice trailed off not wanting to reveal their keen interest in the name Turner.

"What makes you think you're not?" he asked gently wrapping a cloth bandage around her cut hand.

The touch of his rough yet delicate hands made her tremble. She jumped with a shiver. He pulled away thinking he'd harmed her.

"Sorry. Blacksmith's hands. Always rough."

"No. No. I mean. Don't stop," she said forcing him to look her in the eye. "Ever," she whispered.

It seemed like a lifetime had passed between them as they stared into each others' eyes. Chocolate brown on golden brown, conveying unspoken feelings long kept hidden. The flicker of the single candle in the room glowed on his face. He looked magnificent. He leaned closer touching her face, tracing a line down from her ear to her chin. Maria's breathing faltered. Butterflies swarmed in her stomach.

She leaned in, enjoying the anticipation. Their foreheads touched. She could feel his breath on her cheeks. She assumed a soft kiss on the lips was next but she was wrong in such a glorious way. He leaned forward, stroking tendrils of hair out of her face. His lips seared the sensitive skin behind her ear. He made a heated trail across her face. She was going mad with sensual anticipation for a kiss. But he still did not reach her lips. He continued his trail down her neck. She through her head back. His lips glided by the chain that held the medallion around her neck.

"What's this?" he asked against her skin.

She was so lost in his embrace that it took her a moment to settle back into reality.

"What?"

"This." His fingers grazed the chain until it lead to the crevice of her bosom. He took out the medallion and looked at it with a touch of familiarity in his eyes.

"The medallion."

She looked at him with guilty eyes, ashamed.

"I thought I'd lost in when they rescued us. Why do you have it?"

"Elizabeth took it from you when they brought you aboard. She feared that you would have been hanged."

"For being a pirate," he said harshly.

"That morning after I had the dream about us, I asked her if I could have it back. I felt a strong, powerful urge to have it in my possession. Now I know why."

"The gold."

She nodded.

"So it's true then. My father was a pirate."

Maria was not expecting him to say that. She furrowed her brow in confusion and opened her mouth to say something but nothing came forth.

"He must have been a member of Jack's crew."

"Jack's crew?"

"Ten years ago. Jack was the captain of the Pearl. Mr. Gibbs, one of the men on deck. He told me the whole story. They'd found the treasure and spent every last piece. This was before they found out about the curse. Then Barbossa led a mutiny against him when he wanted to get the treasure back. Jack was marooned on an island and my father was killed for sending a piece of the treasure off to me."

Maria was shocked. She was at a loss for words.

"Will, I…"

"You're right. You're not the only one they need to lift the curse."

She looked at him puzzled.

"They need me. They need my blood. The blood of a pirate."

Maria's heart broke for him. She knew how it felt to feel betrayed by your own family because of their mistakes. And they weren't even alive to help you through it. She longed to reach out to him and wrap him in her arms, hold him close. But as his fingers fiddled with the medallion, he stopped suddenly and slammed his hand into the table. Maria knew he needed to be alone with his thoughts right now.

She stood up to leave, muttering apologies. She pressed her lips to the top of his head, tasting the salty-sweetness of his messy hair and made her way to the deck. She took one last look before ascending the stairs. Will's eyes were squinted. His jaw was tightened. He was deep in thought. She silently prayed that the burdens they were left with would be lifted soon. They would bear them together. They were never alone in this world as long as they had each other.


	13. Chapter 12

**A/N I decided not to write an entire chapter about the battle between the Interceptor and the Black Pearl because I'm really bad with writing action scenes. And I'm assuming that you've all seen the movie and know the story so I hope that's all okay. I want to continue with the story...Also! This one is a mixture of Maria and Will POV. :) ENJOY! So anywho...here it goes! Xoxo JTD**

'Please let him be alright," Maria prayed as the crew of the Black Pearl tied her and the rest of the Interceptor's crew to the main mast of the ship.

They had been caught. Even though Will had saved her, the Black Pearl followed them, catching up with them very quickly. The Interceptor fought as hard as she could but no ship could match the strength and speed of the Black Pearl. They went down with dignity but were ultimately captured. She had been taken captive once again by the Black Pearl. And now she stood on the deck of the ghost ship watching the Interceptor burning, breaking, sinking deep into the ocean.

'Will,' she whispered.

He was till on what was left of the Interceptor. He had left the medallion below deck when he came above to help in the battle when they were struck with a cannon blow. He didn't make it up in time to be taken captive. Her heart raced with unimaginable fear. He could be injured and in need of her help and she wasn't there. Or worse. He could be dead. She refused to think that. He couldn't be dead. Not now. Not when they were reunited, finally.

BOOM!

She watched as the Interceptor blew to bits. Fire and wood swarmed in a cloud of smoke. She shuddered. What had happened to Will?

"No!" she screamed.

The crew of the Black Pearl laughed in victory.

She looked at them in disgust. Then she saw a familiar face in the crowd. Captain Jack Sparrow.

"You!"

"Yes, love?"

"You did this! You betrayed Will! You led them right to us!"

"Did I, now?"

Just before she was about to retort, Barbossa grabbed her by the arm, pulling her from her ties.

"Enough!"

She fought against his grasp.

"Welcome back, Miss Cortez. If that is your real name. I was kind enough to show you courtesy on your last stay with us, but I'm afraid my generosity has worn its welcome."

She looked at him in disgust.

"Here. Have your way with her!" He threw her into a group of greedy, hungry pirates. She felt what seemed like a thousand hands tugging at her dress, touching her breasts, pulling her hair. She screamed. That only spurred them on. They continued to grope her. She heard a rip. 'Why's this happening,' she thought, struggling to fight them off.

"Let her go!" a voice shouted.

The groping stopped. She looked in the direction of the voice.

"Madre de dios," she whispered.

Will stood on the edge of the ship holding himself up with a rope. He held a pistol. She smiled inwardly knowing he always came to her aid just when she needed him the most.

"Release her or I'll shoot."

A round of laughter rumbled through the crew.

"Don't do anything stupid," Jack whispered to him.

"How do you plan on doing that when we can't die?" Barbossa asked.

"Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Will Turner. Son of Bootstrap Bill Turner. His blood runs through my veins," he held the gun to his head, causing Maria to cringe. "I die and your curse will never be broken."

"Alright you have our attention, Mister Turner. Name your terms."

"Maria! She goes free!"

"Yes. Yes. That one. Anything else."

"And the crew. Them as well."

"You have yourself a deal, Mister Turner. Barbossa nodded his head to his crew.

They untied the Interceptor's crew. The others let go of their lustful grasp on Maria. Will jumped on deck and went straight to her.

"Gracias a dios! You're alive."

"I'm a survivor right?" He smiled, taking her hands in his.

They looked at each other for a second before Will wrapped his arms tightly around her. He kissed her forehead and her temple. His stubble brushed her cheek, sending tingles all the way to her toes.

"I'll always come back to you," he whispered.

She smiled against his chest. His shirt was wet and salty. He smelled of sweat and sea. She reveled in being in his tight embrace. He stroked her hair several times. She enjoyed his displays of affection. She didn't realize how much she had craved it. She was getting lost in his hold, like they were the only two people in the world. They were in their own bubbly of protection as long as they were together. Like this. But, alas, all good things come to an end.

She felt a sharp tug at her skirt, she was yanked away from Will in seconds.

"No. No. What's happening?" she shouted.

"You're being released, Miss Cortez," Barbossa said pointing toward the plank and an island in the distance.

When Will tried to protest, two pirates approached him and grabbed his hands, pinning them behind his back.

"Barbossa, you lying bastard!"

"On the contrary, I did no such thing!" Barbossa argued, "Our agreement only stated that she be released but did not entail the matters of when or where."

Will struggled with the pirates as he devised a reply. But none came forth. He just stood in defeat, admonishing himself for not thinking things through thoroughly. He looked at Maria. Her eyes betrayed no fear. He smiled. He loved her strength.

"It's funny, Jack. This is the very same island we made you governor of on our last trip," Barbossa laughed.

Jack was shackled and pushed forward. He was pushed toward the plank. Apparently the terms of his agreement with Barbossa were the same – marooned on a desert island.

"Last time I was given a pistol," he requested.

Barbossa nodded as a crew member tossed him a pistol. "Aye. That be true. Here you go, Jack." Barbossa threw the pistol in the ocean.

Jack watched with greedy eyes as the gun splashed in the blue water. He eagerly dove off the plank accepting the challenge.

"Your turn, Miss Cortez."

She headed toward the edge.

"I'll be taking the dress back as well," Barbossa informed, holding out his hand.

She effortlessly unfastened the ties and slipped the yellow garment off. She ignored the perverted whistles from the crew. She stepped out of the dress and violently tossed it to Barbossa. Then she returned to her mission of walking the plank.

It took all of Will's willpower to not kill each and every one of the disgusting ogling pirates watching Maria undress. How dare they stare at her like a piece of meat. But he was proud of her, still. For not succumbing to the humiliation of being lustfully gazed upon. Her pride astounded him. He was amazed by her incredible strength when faced with danger.

She walked with her head held high in dignity. She would not let them feel the satisfaction of breaking her. She stepped onto the platform, slowly making her way to the edge. She gazed out into the ocean.

"Too long!" the dark man shouted.

She spun around and saw him raise his foot and put it to the other end of the plank. It jostled and she was thrown off the board, into the water.

And Will worried that that was the last time he would ever see her again. And his heart broke into a million pieces.


	14. Chapter 13

**A/N So I've been asked if this will continue to Dead Man's Chest and At World's End. The answer is yes. The second and third installments should be better because I've developed a lot more of Maria's story with those than I have with this one. And I apologize for previous chapters' grammatical and technical errors. I read them back and was not happy with myself. I'm usually more careful with that sort of thing! Well here's chapter 13. School and work are pretty busy this week so I'm not sure when the concluding chapters will be up. ENJOY! Xoxo JTD**

The bonfire on the beach was slowly dying down. Maria prayed there was enough spark left to follow through with her plan. She laid down on the beach, pretending to sleep, listening intently. She looked over to where Jack lay. His eyes were closed. His mouth open. His fingers loosely gripped a bottle of rum. 'Finally,' she thought. He was finally asleep.

They had been marooned for over six hours as far as Maria could tell. And from the moment they washed ashore, Jack didn't look the least bit concerned. She wondered at his carefree attitude even facing dangerous and deadly situations. While she was concerned with surviving the night and possibly more nights, Jack roamed about the island without concern for survival, seemingly looking for something.

What he found was a wooden bunker underneath the sand filled with bottles upon bottles of rum. Maria was suspicious. He then regaled her with the tale of his last stay on the island and how he happen to come across the smuggled rum and barter his way off the island with the rum runners. But, as Jack put it, "They've been long out of business. You'll have Norrington to thank for that." Then he handed her a bottle and told her to enjoy herself.

Soon, she had devised a plan to keep Jack drinking until he passed out. She'd been out to sea enough to know what rum does to sailors. She had no doubt that Jack was the same way. And now it seems she was right. She quickly got up from her resting place and sprinted over to the rum bunker. There were still several bottles left. 'Perfect,' she thought.

Maria thought to use the rum on the fire, add some palm leaves and tree branches to create a smoke signal. She and Jack would be rescued and she could save Will from the Black Pearl. The thought of Will made her momentarily pause. She recalled the look in his eyes when she was forced to walk the plank. He felt guilty, she knew. She also saw worry and anguish. They had been so close on the Interceptor. So very close.

'Why is it we always seem to get interrupted?' she thought to herself. 'Well, not anymore.'

She grabbed all the bottles she could at one time and took them to the fire. All night she created a smoke signal that was over a thousand feet high. She continued piling wood and rum to keep the flames alive, hoping that someone would see it and rescue them.

At dawn she heard a scream. She threw another branch at the flames and turned around to see Jack running toward her with a panicked look on her face.

"What are you doing?"

She rolled her eyes. "I thought you were this all-knowing pirate! The entire Royal Navy is scouring these waters looking for the long lost adopted daughter of Governor Swan. That smoke signal is over a thousand feet high. One of those naval ships is bound to see it and rescue us."

"Yes. But is the rum gone?"

"Yes, the rum is gone!" she shouted, walking toward the shore.

Jack looked up at the black smoke in the sky. "But, why is the rum gone."

Maria didn't answer. Instead she looked out to the blue horizon, looking for a familiar ship.

"It shouldn't be long now. Keep a weather eye on the horizon," she instructed as she waited.

While Jack continued with his morning fit, Maria waited and watched, praying and hoping that Norrington's men would find them. Will's life hung in the balance. She grew anxious with worry at each passing minute.

"Look who it is, love," she heard Jack say.

She looked to where he pointed.

A ship in the distance, flying the colors of England.

They were saved.

-()-()-()-()-

"Maria, thank God you're alright!" Governor Swan said as she boarded the ship from the longboat. Jack followed behind her, closely guarded by the officers.

The governor again took off his overcoat and put in on Maria. She smiled in gratitude. Then Elizabeth appeared offering a hug to her adopted sister.

"Oh, Maria, we were so dreadfully worried about you!"

"Yes, I'm fine."

"And thank God for that. Now we can return to Port Royal and get on with our lives," she heard Norrington say from behind her.

Terror struck her heart.

"No!" she shouted hurrying toward him.

"No?"

"They still have Will. We have to save him!"

"Maria, don't be mad. They are pirates! They could have very well killed you and you want to go back?"

Maria was surprised at Elizabeth's question. She thought that Elizabeth would be one of the first ones to jump at the chance to save her sweetheart.

"You don't want to save Will from being killed as well?" Maria asked,

Elizabeth looked down, defeated.

"Please, Commodore," Maria returned her attention to Norrington, begging.

"Maria, clearly Will made his choice."

"But he didn't make it!" she argued but seeing no change in the Commodore's expression, she decided to try a different approach.

"Please. For me. As a wedding gift."

"Weddings. I love weddings! Drinks all around!" Jack shouted, in his Jack way.

The whole ship was stunned. Norrington looked at her in awe.

"You're accepting the Commodore's proposal?" the governor asked, pleased.

Maria kept her attention on Norrington. She pleaded with her eyes. She knew it was terrible to toy with him this way but she knew it was the only way he would agree to rescue Will.

"Maria, are you sure?" Elizabeth asked.

Maria nodded. She felt guilty for clearly lying about her feelings to Norrington and the others, but Will's life mattered more. He'd risked a lot to come after her, she would do the same for him and much more.

Norrington stepped closer to her until he was mere inches away from her face.

"This is where your heart truly lies?" he whispered.

She nodded.

"Alright then. Sparrow, show the men to this Isla del Muerta." Norrington said.

He grabbed Maria's hand and squeezed it before kissing her politely on the cheek, as per the code of social etiquette.

Maria's heart sank. When Norrington's lips touched her face, she felt no heat, no passion, no desire. She felt nothing but friendship. And now she had promised one man her hand in marriage in order to save the man who held her heart.

She only prayed they would arrive in time to save Will.


	15. Chapter 14

**A/N Here's the next chapter! Sorry it's so short. I found a good stopping point so I stuck with it. This isn't my favorite chapter but I hope it adds a little something. Thanks. Stay tuned! Xoxo JTD**

Jack had been in Norrington's office since they arrived in the harbor of the Isla del Muerta. Maria paced back and forth in front of the door. She was incredibly anxious to hear their plan. She heard the doorknob jiggle. Two officers walked out followed by Jack and then Norrington.

"So? What are we going to do?" Maria asked, eager to save Will.

"_We_ plan to execute a plan of action," Norrington replied.

"Which is?"

"For me to know and you to find out after the fact."

Maria paled.

"What?"

"Sorry, love," Jack added. "I tried. But your dear beloved does not wish to put you in harm's way."

Maria turned back to Norrington, glaring at him with fire in her eyes.

"Who do you think you are?" Maria shouted, her temper flaring.

"I am your fiance and I will not lead you into a dangerous situation where you could be hurt!"

It bothered Maria that he so readily took on the role of deciding what she could and could not do. She began to regret accepting his proposal.

"I appreciate your concern, but - "

"No. Maria, this is not up for discussion."

"But you can't - "

He motioned toward two officers. They took her arm and literally dragged her kicking and screaming to the captain's cabin. She spewed angry Spanish phrases the whole way. They locked the doors and left her. She tried at the door but it was no use. She put her back up against the door, thinking. 'How am I gonna save Will?' Maria thought.

"Ay dios!" she muttered, sighing heavily.

"What's wrong?" she heard a familiar voice ask from the sitting room.

She looked up to see Elizabeth reading.

"What's wrong? What's wrong? Norrington won't let me help Jack!"

"Maria, Norrington is a good man. You should trust in his judgment. He is your fiance after all."

"You know, I would think that you would be more anxious to have Will rescued."

"Do not assume that I am not worried about Will! Of course I am! I love him!"

"You love him? _You_ love him?"

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means that I would do anything for him. No matter what Norrington says. I am going inside the Isla del Muerta again, whether he likes it or not. Will risked everything to save me and I would not do less for him."

"Oh, you're assuming I wouldn't do anything for him?"

Maria looked at her. She was growing more and more frustrated by the second. Elizabeth was dressed to impress for being on a ship. Her hair was perfectly quaffed. She had it half up in a ribbon with cascading curls. She wore a beautiful day gown. Maria was still dressed in her simple white underdress. Her hair was wavy, tangled and salty. She had yet to wash since her rescue from the island with Jack. This was the difference between the two of them. Maria was content with her natural self. Elizabeth had to be dressed perfectly. Elizabeth was content with letting men do take care of things. Maria was a go getter. So she decided to go and get.

She backed Elizabeth into a chair. She effortlessly snatched the ribbon out of her hair and put her hands behind her back. She wrapped the ribbon around Elizabeth's wrists and tied a tight knot.

"Maria! What on earth are you doing?"

"That's just it, Elizabeth. I'm doing something for Will. Waiting is not my forte."

She double-checked the knot. The ribbon was tied tight.

She walked to the wardrobe looking for sailors clothes. She quickly changed. She then ripped up her dress and a few bedsheets before tying them together.

"What do you plan on doing?"

"That's for me to know and you to soon find out," she replied opening the window.

She tossed the makeshift rope out the window. She secured one end to a lantern on the wall so she wouldn't fall.

"Buenas noches, Elizabeth."

She climbed out the window and shimmied down the rope into the water. With or without Norrington's permission, she was going to help Will.


	16. Chapter 15

Will stood on the same spot Maria had stood. On the mound of gold, gazing upon the chest of cursed Aztec treasure. He saw Barbossa pull out the same knife he had used on Maria.

"What was begun by blood, will end by blood. And this time, every drop will be repaid," Barbossa announced.

Will cringed, knowing that his time was up. After Maria and Jack were marooned yesterday, Will had plenty of time to contemplate his predicament. He learned about his father's stint as a member of the crew of the Black Pearl. He learned about his father's betrayal and his part in the mutiny against Jack. And finally he learned about the manner in which is father was disposed of. Cannons strapped to his boots and thrown overboard to sink and drown a painful death.

He had slowly come to accept the fate his father had unfortunately bestowed upon him. He prayed it would go quickly. He prayed that he would feel minimal amount of pain. But even in face of death, Maria was in his foremost thoughts. He prayed that she wouldn't suffer to terribly when hearing of his demise. He prayed that Maria would be safely married off to someone who would love and cherish her the way she deserved. His only solace was knowing that he had fulfilled his promise to always protect her.

"I wouldn't be doing that, mate."

It was Jack. He stood at the back of the cavern, against an archway.

Barbossa was a little taken aback to see Jack standing there.

"It seems you've escaped yet again, Jack."

"But of course. I'm Captain Jack Sparrow."

Barbossa rolled his eyes and continued with his task of killing Will.

"Again, mate. You don't want to be doing that."

"No, I really think I do."

Barbossa steps out of the shadows and into the moonlight streaming in from a hole and the top of the cavern. Will cringed as he saw the skeletal being that Barbossa had transformed into. Then Barbossa stepped back out of the moonlight and returned to his place next to Will.

"Alright then. Your funeral," Jack said, shrugging his shoulders.

Will wondered what he had up his sleeve this time.

"Alright, I'll take a bite. Why?"

"Because the H.M.S. Dauntless is lying in wait in the harbor. The minute you and your...lovely...crew step outside, they'll blow you to bits. And all this blood spilling would all be for naught. Savvy?"

Barbossa looked puzzled. Will had hope. The Dauntless was here! There was a chance for him. If he knew the way Jack's mind worked, he would have some hope. He turned back to Barbossa who was still pondering Jack's last statement.

"Aye. What do you propose I do?"

"Simple. Don't kill the boy...yet. Wait for the opportune moment."

"And what be in it for you?"

"'Scuse me?"

"Don't play me for a fool, Jack. Jack Sparrow doesn't offer help without a catch."

"Ah well. There is the matter of who will captain the Dauntless once you defeat it. Say the Dauntless is yours and I reinstate myself as captain of the Black Pearl and we join together in a fleet, you get fifteen percent of my plunder and the honorable title of Commodore Barbossa. What say you to that?"

Will saw in Barbossa's bloodshot eyes that he was contemplating the offer quite seriously. Will sincerely hoped he would take Jack's bait. He had a chance to see Maria again. He prayed that Barbossa would prolong his life and take Jack's offer.

He motioned for the yellow-eyed pirate to come forward. "Pick five men to stay in here. The rest of you. Take a walk."

They grinned mischievously and walked out of the caves. Will wondered what 'take a walk' meant. Will looked to Jack. In order for Jack's plan to work, Will had to make it seem like he and Jack were against each other. He had to convince Barbossa of such. He feigned anger.

"You've been planning this all along haven't you? From the minute you learned my name. And Maria's."

"Aye, the fair Maria. Don't worry about her. She's safe with Norrington."

Jack approaches Will, guarded by two remaining pirates.

"One never misses his opportune moment."

Stealthily, Jack slips a sword out from one of the pirates' belts and hands it to Will. Then he whips himself around and challenges Barbossa with his own sword. Barbossa was momentarily taken aback by how easily he had fallen into Jack's trap. Will smiled in victory. He took his sword to the two pirates guarding him and began to fight. Jack did the same with Barbossa.

Will knew they couldn't die. But nonetheless he fought for his life.


	17. Chapter 16

Maria had been swimming for what felt like hours through the dark murky water that surrounded the Isla del Muerta. She neared the entrance of the cave and reached shallow enough water that she could stand up and walk the rest of the way. She heard male voices coming from the main cavern. She also heard the clanging of metal. 'Sword fighting,' she thought. She hurried through the caves to the main cavern.

She saw Jack and Barbossa engaged in a single battle. She saw Will dispose of one pirate and then another. There were three others waiting for a chance to fight Will. Will crossed and parried with each one with flawless expertise. She smiled in pride.

She saw a long golden rod lying in a pile of goods. She picked it up and headed toward Will and his battle mates.

"Do you want to feel pain?" a small dirty little pirate said as he put the point of his sword to Will's chin.

"You like pain, senor? Try wearing a corset!" Maria shouted, knocking him with the rod.

While the three pirates were momentarily regaining their strength, Maria rushed to Will's aid.

"Will, you're alright."

"As are you."

"We're survivors, remember?"

He smiled at her. She saw the spark in his eyes. He brought his hand to her chin. She tingled in the anticipation of his lips on hers. Then a sword jutted in between them. They both stepped back from each other and turned toward their adversaries.

"Ay dios mio, you pirates never quit!"

She and Will were able to fight them into a clearing. The moonlight shown through a hole in the cavern ceiling. Maria saw her chance. In their skeletal forms it was easier for her to fight them. While Will distracted them with his sword, she rammed the long golden rod through all of their bodies. They were a kabob of pirates, she mused. Then she and Will pushed them back into the shadows where they struggled to remove themselves from the rod. Will scanned the piles of treasure. He saw a small cannon ball with a fuse. He grabbed it and lit it and stuck it in the jacket of on of the pirates. He pulled Maria away and they watched as the three remaining pirates were blown away.

Will turned to Jack and Barbossa, who continued to fighting and arguing about immortality and fighting to the death.

"Follow my lead, Maria."

"Of course."

He led her to the mound of gold where the treasure chest lay.

"Both our blood is needed for the curse to be lifted."

"What if this doesn't work. What if Barbossa is right, and they have to spill all our blood."

He cupped his hands around her face and planted a soft quick kiss on her lips. She never wanted it to end.

"That is never going to happen, Maria. You and I are in this for the long haul, remember? I no longer wish to break promises I fully intend to keep."

He took the medallion from around his neck and grabbed another one from the chest. He took his sword and cut a prick in his palm. He squeezed his hand around the medallion, wincing in pain. Then he turned to Maria.

"I'm sorry I have to do this to you. But it's the only way."

Maria was one step ahead of him. She took his sword and pricked her uninjured hand. She took the other coin from Will and squeezed the blood out onto the medallion. She and Will ascended the mound and stood at its precipice, waiting for the opportune moment.

They looked to Jack and Barbossa. Jack stood on one rock in the creek that invaded the cavern. Barbossa stood on the other. Jack had grown weary of sword play and had his pistol out pointing directly at Barbossa. He took a shot. Maria held her breath.

"Ten years you carry that pistol and you end up wasting your only shot."

"He didn't waste it!" Will shouted.

The two turned to wear he and Maria stood at the chest.

"As the keeper of this treasure. I banish this curse," Maria shouted as she and Will dropped their bloodied coins in the chest.

Time stood still as they watched the coins bounce a bit before laying flat with the other gold coins. Jack turned to Barbossa. The bullet hole where he had been shot was oozing crimson. Maria and Will looked to each other in victory. They had won. They had finally defeated the curse that had plagued them for the past ten years.

Barbossa fell backward into another pile of treasure, took a deep breath and died.

The Aztec curse was broken.

Maria was free.


	18. Chapter 17

**A/N First off I want to apologize for the shortness and the lack of content in the last chapter. Hopefully this chapter is a little bit more enjoyable and worthwhile. In my head there are only about two chapters left to complete this installment of the POTC trilogy for Maria. I hope you like this one. PLEASE read and REVIEW. Xoxo JTD**

Maria stood still. Her chest heaving. Her arm was still outstretched over the chest. She brought it back down to her side and clenched her fist. Her eyes were stuck on Barbossa's bloody, lifeless body in a pile of treasure below her. She felt the weight of the curse leave her. She physically felt the burden lifted off her family name. She took a deep breath and sighed. She turned to Will and lightly smiled.

"We're free."

He turned to her and smiled, triumphantly.

"Yes we are."

He put his palm to her cheek and leaned in close. She closed her eyes anticipating his soft lips.

"Pardon the interruption, but I do believe I need help," Jack spoke up.

"Help with what?" Will asked.

"Collecting all these priceless goods and depositing them on my ship!" Jack responded, throwing his hands up in the air and motioning toward all the cavern's treasures.

Will started toward Jack, helping him gather bits of gold and silver in various forms. He held out his hand to help Maria down from the mound of gold, but she hesitated. The curse may have been lifted but she was still its keeper and needed to see that the treasure stay intact. Maria looked down at the chest containing the Aztec gold. The two bloodied coins glaring up at her. She never wanted to relive this again. She reached down and quickly put the lid back on the chest, sealing it. Then she pushed it down the hill of gold, into the creek bed where Barbossa had thrown her before. The chest slid into the creek and sank to the bottom. She prayed that no one would ever find it.

"Good thinking," Will said.

She smiled and joined him collecting Jack's treasures.

Jack tosses them both linen cloths from another chest.

"You'll not be bloodying up my treasures."

Maria dried up her cut palm and tied it around her hand.

Will let the linen cloth linger in his fingers as he watched Maria longingly. 'She's so beautiful,' he thought. Even in sailor's clothing, wet, tangled hair, she looked like the most beautiful woman in the world. Why had he wasted so much time with Elizabeth? He wouldn't waste anymore.

"Maria?"

She turned to him.

"I think I should apologize to you."

"Que?"

"I've been a fool."

"A fool?"

"Yes. For courting Elizabeth."

"Okay..."

"I guess when we were rescued and Governor Swan took you in as his own, I felt you were obviously destined for something better. I didn't feel you deserved someone like me. I would have just held you back from achieving great things."

He watched her face form a devastated frown. She brought her soft feminine hands to his cheeks. He kissed her bandaged palm. He closed his eyes, unable to meet her gaze. She touched her forehead to his.

"Will," she whispered.

"Alright then, I think that's everything my heart desires," Jack interrupted yet again.

He opened his eyes again. Jack was standing in front of them, staring at them with a quizzical look on his face. He wore a golden bejeweled crown and several gold and silver necklaces. He had a linen bag of goods over his shoulder and a golden chalice in his hand.

"Maria, milady, it isn't very proper for the Commodore's betrothed to be affectionate with another man," Jack said walking toward the entrance to the cavern.

'Damn him!' Maria thought.

She turned to Will with sad eyes, wanting to explain. His face paled. His jaw stiffened. He backed away from her.

"Will."

"You're engaged?"

Unable to speak, she hesitantly nodded, reaching out for him. He jerked away from her.

"You accepted the Commodore's proposal? Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't want to spoil the moment. Will I only agreed so he would - "

"It seems I'm not the only one who doesn't keep promises."

Maria's eyes flared. By the look on his face, she knew he said that to deliberately hurt her. 'How dare he!' she thought, angrily. He didn't even let her explain her actions.

"Mentira! That's a lie and you know it!" she shouted.

"Pardon me, but I have a ship to attend to. Savvy?"

It seemed Jack was the king of interruption tonight. Maria ignored him this time and waited for Will to respond.

"Jack's right," he started, "I'm sure Norrington will be wanting to know his intended his safe."

And that was that. In one single sentence he had torn her heart to pieces. Angry tears began to well up in her eyes. But she dare not let him see. She stormed off in Jack's direction. She walked right past him and continued her way to the longboats waiting in the caves. She did not look back. She would not let him see her tears. She had risked everything to come back here and save him. He just didn't realize how much she had to sacrifice to keep him alive.

Will watched her go. It was all he could do to not run after her, pull her in his arms and apologize for insulting her the way he did. He hadn't even let her explain.

"If you were waiting for the opportune moment, that was it," Jack said giving Will a knowing look before sauntering off after Maria.

Will stood there for a moment, thinking. He knew this time, he had possibly ruined everything he had with Maria.


	19. Chapter 18

Will rowed in silence. Jack was admiring his gold and silver. Maria sat staring yearningly at the water below. He tried to conjure up the right words to say but he couldn't seem to form a clear sentence. He just continued rowing out of the caves into the harbor where the ships awaited. He wondered if the fighting had ceased. He wondered if the crew of the Dauntless was able to defeat the skeletal pirates of the Black Pearl.

"Wait a minute," Jack muttered as Will exited the caves.

Will turned around. Only one ship floated in the harbor. The Dauntless.

"Where's the Pearl?" Will asked.

Jack frowned.

"They kept to the code."

Maria looked at Will and then at Jack.

"I guess I can't fault them on it. I fell behind."

"I'm sorry, Jack."

Jack just nodded as Will continued rowing.

During the rest of their short voyage to the Dauntless, no one spoke. The trio knew what fate lay in store for Jack once they reached the Dauntless. None of them wanted to mention it for fear of making it real.

-()-()-()-()-()-

"Will!" Elizabeth shouted as they boarded the Dauntless from the longboat. He smiled lightly at her as she ran into his arms. "You're alright! Thank, God!"

Maria was sickened. Elizabeth had wrapped her arms around Will's waist and was fawning over him like a puppy. Maria knew she was just doing it for show. Elizabeth was proving to Maria that she did love and care for Will. When Maria saw that Will was reciprocating the very public display of affection she cringed. 'Why does he torture me so?' she thought as he hugged Elizabeth and kissed her lightly on the head.

"Maria!" She heard Norrington call from behind her.

He rushed toward her, bloodied and haggard from battle.

"Thank, God you're alright. When Elizabeth told us what you had done, I thought I'd lost you!"

Norrington put his hands on her shoulders and surveyed her. Then he pulled her close and held her to his chest. His coat smelled of gun powder and sweat. She embraced him half-heartedly, really just wishing it would end. She looked over at Will and Elizabeth. He was watching with as much intent and she had watched he and Elizabeth. Maria thought she'd fight fire with fire. She reached up and wrapped her arms around Norrington's neck, pulling him closer to her.

"Don't worry, James. You shan't lose me."

She said it loud enough for all to hear. She could literally feel painful emotions emanating from Will's body. She felt satisfied that she had hurt him. But even so, her heart broke for the pain she had just inflicted.

Norrington pulled back and looked at her.

"Next time, do listen to me, my love."

She nodded as he placed a soft kiss on her cheek. Norrington looked at Will and Elizabeth, then to Jack.

"I see your little outing wasn't for naught. It seems that in addition to defeating a band of pirates the Dauntless is to return Jack Sparrow to his cell to await his sentence. Good work, Maria."

Maria looked to Jack, who was being put into shackles. Then she looked at Will. He had the same guilty look on his face that she did. Maria knew Jack was a pirate, a criminal, a dangerous man all around, but he played a part in saving Will and freeing them both from the Aztec curse. Maria felt sorry for him. Will let go of Elizabeth and watched as Jack was taken away. Maria stepped forward and stood next to him. They watched him depart below deck to the brig.

Her stomach dropped. She and Will now shared yet another death defying experience together. Their fates had intertwined them eight years ago. Now, after all that had transpired, what should have brought them closer together, had torn them apart. Maria turned to look at Will. She pleaded with her eyes for him to say something, anything to change what was happening to them. He didn't say anything. He just stood there, not even looking at her. It was as if he was fighting the urge to.

Tired of waiting, she walked back to where Norrington was. This was her fate now. This was her destiny. The wife of a Commodore she would become. Norrington held out his arm for her and walked her along the deck to the captain's cabin.

"We must get you out of these clothes. My dear Maria, you belong in dresses," Norrington said as he led her away.

She smiled. She looked back to where she had left Will. He was staring after her.

Will wanted to tear Norrington apart from Maria and reprimand him for ever kissing her cheek. He longed to call out to her, apologize to her. He wanted nothing more than to pull her away from Norrington, lift her up in the air and confess his true feelings. But something Jack had always said stuck out in his mind. Wait for the opportune moment. It was still too soon after all that had just been said. He would wait it out. But he would repair the damage done. He would get Maria back.


	20. Epilogue

**A/N: Hey everyone! Here is the concluding chapter to this installment! Next is the Dead Man's Chest and the first chapter will definitely be a shock to all those Will/Maria fans! I hope you liked her character. She has a bit more gumption than Elizabeth (at least to me!) Enjoy this final chapter and stay tuned for the second installment! Xoxo JTD **

**PS: While you're waiting PLEASE check out my Non/Disney crossover tale of Meg and Dimitri :)**

The sun was painfully blinding Maria's eyes. She had to squint her eyes to see what was going on. 'Why did they always schedule these things at high noon?' she thought. It was the day of Jack's execution. Because of the sun she could only see his silhouette. She tried to use her status with Norrington to delay or possibly suspend his hanging, but to no avail. Norrington was bound by law. She watched Jack. The executioner read off his lengthy statement about Jack's vast and many crimes against the crown. She could swear she saw Jack rolling his eyes when the executioner neglected to use the title Captain Jack Sparrow. She thought it was amusing that even in death Jack seemed calm and cool as a cucumber.

She sighed. It had been two days since their debacle at the Isla del Muerta. Two days since her family's curse had been lifted. Governor Swan had welcomed her back into his home with open arms, as if nothing had happened, as if she hadn't tied up Elizabeth and escaped the Dauntless to rescue Elizabeth's suitor. And here she was again at the fort in the same vantage point as she was for Norrington's promotion to Commodore. She stood in between her regal fiance and her adopted sister. They had spoken little since their return, for fear of getting into a silly sisterly argument again.

Maria hadn't spoken to Will either. She was always under constant watch either by a maid or Norrington. She was never alone. Governor Swan obviously didn't want his adopted daughter getting kidnapped again or worse escaping to be with Will. Will. She hated the way they had left things between them. So many words unsaid. So much stubbornness. She didn't understand why he wouldn't let her explain about her engagement. If he did, he'd know that she did it all for him. She had kept her promises. It hurt that he didn't trust her enough to think so.

A crowd member caught her eye. He was wearing a rather gaudy gray hat with a large feather protruding from the side. Maria watched him curiously. He approached her and her group. It was Will.

"Governor Swan, Commodore. Elizabeth."

He didn't address her!

"Elizabeth I must apologize for leading you to believe that you were the only one for me. You are a lovely girl and I have much enjoyed the time I've spent with you."

"What? Will, what are you saying?" Elizabeth responded in a state of complete shock.

"Mister Turner are you - " the governor was cut off.

"Maria."

Her name on his lips sounded like a soothing siren's call.

"I must apologize to you as well. I've been an utter fool to go on pretending like you were nothing more than a dear childhood friend. I should have told you this long ago. I love you."

He lingered for a mere moment after he told her those beautiful words but then he was gone. She would be lying if she said she wasn't taken aback by his outlandish statement. But her heart leaped just the same. He loved her. He had said those three small yet meaningful words out loud in front of her and Elizabeth and Commodore Norrington. A small smile crept on her lips. She couldn't help it. He made her this way. Norrington noticed her school girl grin and became suspicious. He looked at her as if he was about to say something, but he clearly changed his mind.

Maria watched Will as he made his way into the center of the onlookers. He looked up just as a blue parrot flew into the fort and landed on a pole. Maria recognized that parrot. One of the crew members from the Interceptor had a parrot that spoke for him. That parrot was a part of Jack's crew on the Interceptor. She turned her attention to Will again. He had his hand on the handle of a sword as if he was waiting for an attack. She looked to the platform. The executioner was at the end of his scroll. Any second now, Jack would be hanged. As she saw Will's hand tighten around the handle of the sword, she quickly thought of a way to distract Norrington from stopping Will before he had a chance to save Jack.

It was hot. She was wearing a tight fitting dress that Elizabeth had objected to because of it's gaudy yellow color. She could faint and Norrington's focus would be on her. Not on Jack or Will. The executioner began to pull his lever. Maria held her breath. She saw Will pull the sword from its sheath. She threw her head back and fainted.

She heard Elizabeth begin to fan her. She felt Norrington supporting her head. She heard the governor fawning over her. She heard the executioner's level being pulled all the way and a swift metallic clang. Instinctively she rose, ignoring the quizzical looks of Elizabeth, Norrington and Governor Swan. She looked at the platform to see if Will's plan had worked. The noose was still around Jack's neck but Will's sword had broken his fall and gave his feet support. Jack hadn't died. Will had saved him.

Maria watched eagerly as Will rushed to the platform. Jack was able to maneuver himself out of the noose and onto the ground. He used the sword to free him from the rope around his wrists and pulled the sword out. He and Will used the noose to trip any officers that got in their way. They fought them off with swords to keep them at a distance. Maria watched as Will and Jack made their way to the very same balcony that she had fallen from. Even with Norrington pulling at her arm, Maria rushed to Will to see what he had planned.

When she stepped through the crowd of officers and onlookers, Jack was on the ledge staring out into the harbor. Will was standing in front of him, guarding him with a sword.

"Don't come any closer," Will warned.

Maria smiled inwardly.

"Mister Turner. Is this how you repay me? I granted you clemency on our return to Port Royal and you respond by freeing a convicted pirate and helping him escape?" Governor Swan interjected approaching Maria's side with Elizabeth and Norrington.

"Jack saved me from a certain death. Yes he's a pirate and a good man."

Jack smiled triumphantly.

"Well, thank you Master Turner. But I really must be on my way."

Everyone turned their attention to Jack, who stood on the ledge as if he had just won a prize.

"Norrington, you gave me a great challenge. I thank you for that. Maria, I'm sorry, love but it would never have worked out between us."

Norrington stared at Maria as if he was seeing her for the first time. She rolled her eyes.

"And Will. Nice hat. Ladies and gentlemen, this will be that day that you'll always remember as the day that you almost caught Captain Jack - " He fell before he could finish his signature farewell.

Officers ran to the ledge looking down.

"The rocks will surely kill him if the sea doesn't," an officer said.

Maria looked out into the horizon and saw a ship with black sails appear. She looked up and saw the blue parrot flying away. She smiled. Jack was getting his ship back.

"Look, out there!" she shouted.

The officers saw the Pearl in the distance.

"Do you think he plans this?" an officer asked.

They all looked to Norrington for orders.

"I think after a performance like that he deserves at least a day's head start," he instructed.

The crowd of onlookers began to disperse. Will dropped his sword to the ground, claiming defeat, waiting for his arrest. But Norrington shook his head when two officer's approached Will. Maria ran to Will's side and grabbed his hands. She looked into his eyes. They were sparkling with happiness.

"Will?"

Maria turned around. Elizabeth stood, meekly next to her father. Maria could tell she was holding back tears.

"Elizabeth. Truly, I am sorry."

"Very well. I wish you the best, then."

Elizabeth stoically strolled off as if nothing had transpired. But Maria knew that once she was behind closed doors, a cascade of tears would fall.

"Maria. After all the years of schooling and refinement this is what you choose?" the governor asked.

"Si senor. It is."

"I've brought you up from nothing and you choose to stay with nothing? A blacksmith?"

"No! He's not nothing!"

The governor had easily grown tired of arguing with her and followed Elizabeth.

Norrington was the only one left standing.

"So this is where your heart truly lies?"

"It is. I'm sorry for hurting you, James. You're a good man."

He held up his hand gesturing for her to stop the compliments.

"But I'm not him."

With that Norrington drudged away dragging his knuckles on the ground. She felt guilty but only for a second.

She turned to Will.

"No. He's not you."

Will smiled edging his face closer to hers. He held her hands in his.

"And who am I, Maria?"

"You're the man I love and..."

She put her forehead to his, closing her eyes.

"...a pirate," she whispered just before claiming his lips with her own.

It was their first kiss but it would definitely not be their last. He put his hands through her hair, loosening pins. She brought her hands to his roughened cheeks. He tasted like a fine wine or an elixir that she'd been deprived of. Their kiss intensified. His hands glided to the small of her back, pulling her closer in his embrace.

"Maria," he whispered against her lips. She could feel his smile in his kiss.

She unwillingly broke the kiss to listen to him. Her lips were bruised and ripe. She wanted so much to taste him again.

"Maria, I have a question to ask you that is long overdue."

Maria looked him in the eye.

"Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

Her eyes smiled.

"Por supuesto! Of course. Of course! Will, I love you!"

Will tightened his arms around her waist and lifted her up. He spun her around, reveling in the fact that he and Maria were finally together. Forever and always they would have each other. Just like they'd promised.


End file.
